Mormon means a lot of things. Most commonly, it is the nickname given to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and its members. It is also the name of a prophet, who made an abridgment of ancient scripture called The Book of Mormon.

All in all, it is not a bad name, except use of the nickname can muddy the waters of understanding about the church, its members and our beliefs. For example, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a Christian church. The prophet Nephi in The Book of Mormon wrote:

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.
(2 Nephi 25:26)

Jesus Christ is in the name of the church, and Jesus is at the center of all of our doctrines, yet journalists routinely omit His name when reporting about His church. They will either call it The Church of Latter-day Saints or the Mormon Church, ignoring the Associated Press Stylebook, which they all own. Unfortunately, the name Mormon is a common rhetorical device to separate Latter-day Saints from other Christians as if we worshiped some other Jesus Christ.

The church has added an excellent page to its online gospel library that is worth a quick read. Just click on the shot of the temple at the top of this post.

I will just add a passage of scripture from The Book of Mormon:

But he that believeth these things which I have spoken, him will I visit with the manifestations of my Spirit, and he shall know and bear record. For because of my Spirit he shall know that these things are true; for it persuadeth men to do good.

And whatsoever thing persuadeth men to do good is of me; for good cometh of none save it be of me. I am the same that leadeth men to all good; he that will not believe my words will not believe me—that I am; and he that will not believe me will not believe the Father who sent me. For behold, I am the Father, I am the light, and the life, and the truth of the world.
(Ether 4:11-12)

When HBO debuted Big Love, the show’s premise did raise some concern for me. I wondered how much viewers would assign their feelings and opinions of the characters and plot lines to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and its members. It is common in our society to attribute polygamy to the one group which is most opposed to plural marriage or any marriage that is not between one man and one woman. Mormons don’t promote or practice plural marriage. Church members who would are apostates and violate God’s law and the law of the land.

 The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has sent out its own message through Mormon Messages on You Tube, teaching truth instead of engaging every adversary in rebuttal. It’s of greater value to share Christ’s message with the world. What was lost among mankind has been restored by the Lord. The totality of the gospel is once again on the earth in His Church. His priesthood authority and all of the gospel’s holy ordinances have been restored. The crooked paths of apostasy have been made straight by revelation. The Lord has call prophets and apostles to organize and lead His Church in the latter days. He has commanded these prophets to build temples as in times of old. He has fulfilled the prophecies found in the scriptures but denied or ignored by scholars and religious leaders of our day.

It is His house, His ordinances and His law; we are His beneficiaries. We do not enter into the House of the Lord by means of our own invention. The Redeemer of the world established an undeviating path toward Eternal Life for us to follow. We prepare ourselves through faith, repentance and obedience to his commandments. And when we enter the House of the Lord, it is to not for selfish reasons but to follow Christ. We go there to gain knowledge and power from the Lord. We go to the temple to seal our families together forever. We return to the temple to provide these same opportunities for our ancestors and to link our generations together as one eternal family, forgetting nobody, excluding nobody. Finally, we go to find peace from this world. One may want to explore further to gain a greater understanding of what takes place in God’s temples, but a sincere desire to know the truth reveals a beautiful doctrine of a bigger love that our Heavenly Father has for his children. Bigger than anything man can comprehend, except by revelation from God.

I invite everyone to the House of the Lord. If there is a temple near you, go for a walk on the grounds. If there is a visitors center there, go inside. Ask questions. Learn more. That one decision to seek for understanding from the Lord about His Church and His temples may prepare you to go into His temple and make sacred covenants with Him. You will find peace from every concern there. You will feel further from your problems and closer to heaven. At least, that’s been my experience. I hope it is your experience too.

Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. 

At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.

(John 14:19-20)

I know Jesus Christ lives, that he took up His body a second time in an eternal and glorified state, never to shed it it again. I know He has overcome physical death for all of us and spiritual death as well for all who believe and obey Him.

These passages of scripture have come to mean more to me, since my father passed away a little less than a month ago. His absence has made me more aware of the separation which takes place with death and more thankful for the resurrection, the atonement and the gospel. I can’t imagine the distance the disciples might have felt between them and the Redeemer after the crucifixion as well as their joy to see Jesus again, a resurrected and living person, standing among them. The words of the prophets and the teachings of Christ himself bring peace and understanding us. The twentieth century Lutheran author Amos John Traver made this comparison, “Death is not a period, but a comma in the story of life.”

I wish that I could see me dad, but I am assured that he is in good hands. I trust that his eyes are being opened to the truth of the gospel. I trust that, whatever pain he felt when he left mortality, the atonement of Jesus Christ healed in an instant. There is much that I need to do for Dad here on earth, and I may be in for quite a wait to see him again, but I look forward to the day of our reunion. I’m sure he looks forward to see his family too; the only thing beside our bodies that we can have again. Adam was told that, “In thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.” (Gen 12:3, Gen 28:14, Abr 2:11) The eternal nature of marriage and families is clarified in the latter-day scripture found in Doctrine and Covenants:

Therefore, if a man marry him a wife in the world, and he marry her not by me nor by my word, and he covenant with her so long as he is in the world and she with him, their covenant andmarriage are not of force when they are dead, and when they are out of the world; therefore, they are not bound by any law when they are out of the world.

Therefore, when they are out of the world they neither marry nor are given in marriage; but are appointed angels in heaven, which angels are ministering servants, to minister for those who are worthy of a far more, and an exceeding, and an eternal weight of glory.

For these angels did not abide my law; therefore, they cannot be enlarged, but remain separately and singly, without exaltation, in their saved condition, to all eternity; and from henceforth are not gods, but are angels of God forever and ever.

And again, verily I say unto you, if a man marry a wife, and make a covenant with her for time and for all eternity, if that covenant is not by me or by my word, which is my law, and is not sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise, through him whom I have anointed and appointed unto this power, then it is not valid neither of force when they are out of the world, because they are not joined byme, saith the Lord, neither by my word; when they are out of the world it cannot be received there, because the angels and the gods are appointed there, by whom they cannot pass; they cannot, therefore, inherit my glory; for my house is a house of order, saith the Lord God.

And again, verily I say unto you, if a man marry a wife by my word, which is my law, and by the new and everlasting covenant, and it is sealed unto them by the Holy Spirit of promise, by him who is anointed, unto whom I have appointed this power and the keys of this priesthood; and it shall be said unto them—Ye shall come forth in the first resurrection; and if it be after the first resurrection, in the next resurrection; and shall inherit thrones, kingdoms, principalities, and powers, dominions, all heights and depths—then shall it be written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, that heshall commit no murder whereby to shed innocent blood, and if ye abide in my covenant, and commit no murder whereby to shed innocent blood, it shall be done unto them in all things whatsoever my servant hath put upon them, in time, and through all eternity; and shall be of full force when they are out of the world; and they shall pass by the angels, and the gods, which are set there, to their exaltation and glory in all things, as hath been sealed upon their heads, which glory shall be a fulness and a continuation of the seeds forever and ever.

Then shall they be gods, because they have no end; therefore shall they be from everlasting to everlasting, because they continue; then shall they be above all, because all things are subject unto them. Then shall they be gods, because they have all power, and the angels are subject unto them.”

(D/C  132:15-20)

I am grateful for God’s endless mercy and His grace which is power to do what we cannot do on our own. I’m grateful that with His help my family cannot be taken from me by death. They are mine in the Lord through obedience to my Heavenly Father’s commandments and sacred priesthood ordinances. I invite all to learn for themselves what the Lord has revealed through living prophets in the last days. Job’s question has been answered, and the Lord continues to speak and answer our questions through sincere prayer, a thoughtful study of the scriptures and His living prophets and apostles. I know that Heavenly Father has a plan for us; he wants us to be happy. There is more you can explore on your own at Mormon.org. 

Dad, I love you, and I miss you. We’re taking good care of Mom, and we look forward to seeing you again.

LaRinda and Dan in Tulúm, Mexico

The image you see at the top of the iMormon blog holds a special meaning to me for a couple of reasons.

I took this picture at the Mayan ruins in Tulúm, Mexico on the coast of the Yucatan. The picture reminds me of one of the most enjoyable weeks of my life. Sometimes, you really need a vacation… And LaRinda and I really needed that vacation. We enjoyed a week in the Caribbean with some of our absolute favorite people on earth and good friends. It was our first time on a cruise. After shedding apprehension—I would either have a blast or feel trapped on board the ship for a week—we hopped on the Westerdam to discover that cruising was—in deed—our cup of cocoa. That covers reason #1.

Once we reached Cozumel, we took the ferry to mainland Mexico and drove to Tulúm. The ruins are beautiful, situated on the cliffs overlooking a white sandy beach, a protective reef and the blue open water beyond. Now, I believe the inhabitants of old Tulúm were not basking in the light of the gospel, but remnants of the truth which their ancestors once possessed endured until the time the last revision of Tulúm was constructed.

Tulúm as seen today did not constitute the entire city. Most of Tulúm’s inhabitants lived outside its walls. The walled-in ruins were a temple. Tulúm’s structures include several figures, representing gods of the Maya. These gods are represented at the top of the main temple structure. An embodied figure stands on the left. In the center, a figure appears to be diving upside-down; This god elected to descend to earth and dwell among man for a time before taking his place again with the gods. And to the right, an empty station represents the god without a physical body… It is a remarkable resemblance to the three individual personalities which constitute the Godhead—Father, Son and Holy Ghost—native to Christianity. The photo that I took is of another likeness of the descending god on one of the smaller buildings inside the temple grounds.

The photo is special to me. Perhaps, a subtle reminder that Christ’s earthly mission was not a closely guarded secret among man. Those in Jerusalem were not the only ones who mattered to Christ. John tells us:

“And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.” (John 10:4)

Though Israel was scattered throughout the world (Amos 9:9), the Lord would not forget his covenant people. He would go to them following His resurrection. The Savior told His disciples in Jerusalem:

And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. (John 10:16)

The Conference Center in Salt Lake City

In that great intercessory prayer, the Savior prayed to the Father that the disciples would be one even as He and the Father are one. (John 17:11) Though Jesus knelt on the earth and Heavenly Father listened seemingly distant, their unity was apparent. Christ was focused on our redemption from death and sin. As we read this passage, I am impressed by the thought that aligning our thoughts and actions with Christ are requisite for receiving a remission of our sins and overcoming this world. I can’t imagine walking through the gates of heaven with our brothers and sisters with any measure of disaccord. No, those who return to live forever in the rest of the Redeemer will already be of one mind and of heart.

Our mortal life is a brief moment to learn of the Lord, a short time to become learn what me must learn, do what we must do and be who we should be. Over five hundred years before the birth of Christ, the Book of Mormon prophet Lehi counseled his children before his passing:

And now that my soul might have joy in you, and that my heart might leave this world with gladness because of you, that I might not be brought down with brief and sorrow to the grave, arise from the dust, my sons, and be men, and be determined in one mind and in one heart, united in all things…

Awake, my sons; put on the armor of righteousness. Shake off the chains with which ye are bound, and come forth out of obscurity, and arise from the dust. (2 Nephi 1:21,23)

I responded to a question posted by a reader of my blog recently. Though this pastor may have had a sincere intention to have an open and friendly gospel discussion, I was disappointed when I was ridiculed and chastized on his site by people who disagreed with me. They were under no obligation to see things my way, but I was disappointed to find that the participants were not interested in expressing their faith or learning about mine. The environment, though web-based, was as cold and devoid of the Spirit as any room I had ever entered. I excused myself from the rest of the discussion with an increased resolve to teach and testify but never attack.

Today, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints concluded its semi-annual general conference. We heard from living prophets and apostles. Not self-annointed scholars or authorities—I have listened to and have respected many of their messages throughout my life—but men who are called of God by revelation and given sacred priesthood authority to act in the name Jesus Christ. They shared many timely messages for the whole world to hear. As the content is made available, I will publish it here for your review.

This conference, I was impressed by the number of messages that suggested to members of the Church to temper their feelings about the negative and false messages being circulated about Mormons and our beliefs. Nothing is more disappointing to a faithful Latter-day Saint than to hear anyone perpetuate the falsehood that we are not Christians or that we worshop some other Jesus Christ. It saddens me further to see that many of these false teachings and misrepresentations are perpetuated by other Christians. Recognizing that Satan seeks to lead away the hearts of man by any means, the message of Christ’s special witnesses today was to see that even this unfortunate opposition to the gospel of Jesus Christ presents wonderful opportunities to spread the messasage of the gospel and the plan of happiness. Sometimes, the fact that we as Mormons don’t lash out or campaign agressively against our detractors is viewed as indifference or lack of action. The truth is that we know that more good can be done by going to our neighbor than going to the press. Opening our homes and being a good friend will make the truth about would we believe and how we live self-evident… and the truth will prevail. Sharing a sincere testimony of what we know with others will accomplish more than any debate. We’re doing better. We’ll get past the bickering. Christians know how this story ends; adversary doesn’t win.

I add my witness to those of the prophets that Jesus Christ lives. He is your God and my God. This is His one true church upon the earth. He is gathering His people and building up His Kingdom on the earth in preparation of His second coming. I love Him, and I’m trying to be more like Him. I look forward to the day when you and I are of one heart and of one mind like Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

If you want to know what it's like to run a race, then ask the runner, not the spectator.

Like many Latter-day Saints, Jay Gladwell has noticed that many misconceptions about Mormons’ faith in Jesus Christ and the doctrines of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are rooted in bad information dispensed by otherwise good people with a genuine love for the Savior. These commentators live, worship and postulate outside the Church. Many sincere in their intent, many hurting from their past and others simply consumed with hate… Most unfortunately perpetuate inaccuracies and misrepresent the principles, ordinances and doctrines of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. Rather than remain sidelined, Gladwell worte a book. What’s Wrong With Mormon? A Good Tree Cannot Bring Forth Evil Fruit provides a description of what Mormons believe by a Mormon who actually believes. It is only one member’s commentary, but he addresses many beliefs commonly mistreated in literature, media and on the Internet. The book sells for $21.95 on Amazon.

I would encourage anyone wanting to know more about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to simply as a Mormon. We don’t bite. At least, I haven’t met one yet who bites. Growing up outside the Church, I heard a lot about Mormons, and almost everything told to me was false. What was true? Good choir. What was false? Here is short list:

Five Things I Was Told About Mormons:
Every one of ‘em was hooey.

1. Mormons aren’t Christian
2. They don’t believe in the Bible
3. Mormons are polygamists
4. They worship a man named Joseph Smith
5. Mormons don’t like outsiders

Well, don’t be surprised that everyone who told me these things had either read them from a pamphlet published by anti-Mormon organizations or were simply repeating things said by somebody who had heard them said by somebody who heard them repeated by another guy who got it from his father. None of them had attended LDS services, studied the Book of Mormon or even prayed with an open heart to know have the truth revealed to him by the power of the Holy Ghost.

I don’t fault any of them. If I hadn’t made a sincere study of the Book of Mormon, I would never know the Book of Mormon is the word of God. I would struggle to know that Joseph Smith saw Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and was called to be a prophet as in Biblical times. Like Paul, had I not had a personal and undeniable spiritual confirmation of the Lord’s workmanship, I might have continued in my sins and rejected what God was trying to show me. You see, Paul was struck with blindness on the road to Damascus, but he was made to see that day that Jesus was the Christ. Paul began to understand why he was here and where he should go and what he should go. He experienced a mighty change of heart. He repented and was healed; he sanctified himself by following the Savior and proclaiming the gospel.

It’s not for me to convince you of anything, but it’s for me to tell you what I know and that I know it is true. I’m here to tell you, that you can know these things for yourself…

And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;

But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

(John 14:16, 26)

Plato and Aristotle

One of my favorite works of art is Raphael’s The School of Athens in the Vatican. Surrounded by the heavyweights of philosophy and and art, Plato and Aristotle are going at it. You know they don’t agree, because Plato is gesturing to the heavens, and Aristotle is pointing at the earth. I’m with Plato. Man shows his arrogance and shortsightedness by trusting more in his own reason and rejecting what God knows—God knows all things. The brightest people I know aren’t so bright because of their scholarship; it is their willingness to trust the Lord. (Alma 32:21) They are true disciples of the Master. I admire their faith.

One of the simple blessings in my life is attending church on Sunday. I am strengthened by renewing the baptismal covenant when I partake of the sacrament. I am strengthened by the experience of worshiping with my family and neighbors. So many times, I take notice of the way others express their faith in Christ. I am frequently impressed by my brothers and sisters. Watching them exercise their faith has strengthened my own. A case in point…

A week ago, I was making rounds in the stake—up to twelve congregations (wards or branches) make up a stake of Zion—to conduct some administrative duties. I stopped in at the chapel where my own family attends church a few hours before our designated meeting time. There in the hallway, a young woman was retrieving a tithing slip and envelop from the rack on the wall. I greeted her and asked if she was new in our ward. She mentioned that she had only stopped in to make an offering. We introduced ourselves; her name was Michelle. I helped her to complete the slip of paper and told her how to submit the contribution to the bishop or one of his counselors.

Michelle and I got to talking, and I was impressed to find out that she wasn’t even a member of the Church. In fact, she didn’t even know what church she had entered. She was simply acting on an impression that she felt. She knew that she needed to make a sacrifice and felt impressed to come to the church she had passed many times before.

While complimenting her expression of faith, I asked if she knew anything about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Michelle didn’t know anything about the Church. She was raised in the Baptist church and loved Jesus Christ very much. She asked me if I had a pamphlet that could tell her more. I didn’t have a brochure, but I offered her a Book of Mormon, that she could explore on her own along with a pass-along card which displayed the Mormon.org web address. She thanked me for being so helpful. I invited her to come back and attend Church in the afternoon, and she accepted, expressing that she would like to know more.

Michelle had a very good experience attending our meetings, making some friends. A few days later, she met with missionaries in our home to learn more about the gospel. Eventually, she expressed her own desire be baptized and to become a member of Christ’s church. I was so impressed at the manner in which the Holy Ghost worked in the Michelle’s life. How powerfully the Spirit guided her. How sincerely and openly this great woman acted on the promptings of the Spirit to seek for more light and knowledge of her Heavenly Father and His Son. Michelle didn’t many everything about the gospel, but she recognized the perfect example which Jesus had set for us by being baptized himself. She desired to followed His example, not knowing everything that lay ahead.

The prophet Alma in the Book of Mormon compared the gospel of Jesus Christ to a seed:

Now, as I said concerning faith—that it was not a perfect knowledge—even so it is with my words. Ye cannot know of their surety at first, unto perfection, any more than faith is a perfect knowledge. But behold, if ye will awake and arouse your faculties, even to an experiment upon my words, and exercise a particle of faith, yea, even if ye can no more than desire to believe, let this desire work in you, even until ye believe in a manner that ye can give place for a portion of my words. Now, we will compare the word unto a seed. Now, if ye give place, that a seed may be planted in your heart, behold, if it be a true seed, or a good seed, if ye do not cast it out by your unbelief, that ye will resist the Spirit of the Lord, behold, it will begin to swell within your breasts; and when you feel these swelling motions, ye will begin to say within yourselves—It must needs be that this is a good seed, or that the word is good, for it beginneth to enlarge my soul; yea, it beginneth to enlighten my understanding, yea, it beginneth to be delicious to me. Now behold, would not this increase your faith? I say unto you, Yea; nevertheless it hath not grown up to a perfect knowledge. But behold, as the seed swelleth, and sprouteth, and beginneth to grow, then you must needs say that the seed is good; for behold it swelleth, and sprouteth, and beginneth to grow. And now, behold, will not this strengthen your faith? Yea, it will strengthen your faith: for ye will say I know that this is a good seed; for behold it sprouteth and beginneth to grow.

(Alma 32:26-30)

The First Vision by Del Parson