The Holy Spirit is the third member of the Godhead, which consists of God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost, or Holy Spirit. This third member is often the least understood by many Christians, and yet His role is critical to our lives on earth.

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, whose members are sometimes called Mormons, believe these three are not one being. They are completely unified in every way except physically. This is demonstrated through two verses in the New Testament of the Holy Bible.

John 10:30 says, “I and my Father are one.” In the centuries following the death of Jesus Christ and the apostles, councils convened and decided scriptures like this one signified a unity of physical being. Not all Christians agreed, but this view, put to a vote, prevailed. However, such an interpretation ignores the explanation given by the Savior a few chapters later.

In the Great Intercessory Prayer given by the Savior, He said,

And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are (John 17:11)

From this we can see the oneness is that of spiritual unity, not physical oneness, since we do not include all of Jesus’ followers in our trinity. Jesus taught in this prayer that He and His Father were one in the same way all Christians are to be one.

Mormon beliefs teach that God and Jesus Christ have perfected and glorified bodies, but the Holy Spirit is a Spirit only. He has several assignments designed to help us in our life’s journey. In fact, without His help, we would have little chance of returning to our Heavenly Father.

In the Book of Mormon, we learn the Holy Spirit testifies of Jesus Christ and God.

“And then are ye in this strait and narrow path which leads to eternal life; yea, ye have entered in by the gate; ye have done according to the commandments of the Father and the Son; and ye have received the Holy Ghost, which witnesses of the Father and the Son, unto the fulfilling of the promise which he hath made, that if ye entered in by the way ye should receive” (2 Nephi 31:18)

The Holy Spirit, then, makes it possible for us to know for certain that God lives and Jesus Christ is our Savior. Without this witness, we would have to guess, and few would accept that reality. The Bible promises us in James 1:5 that if we lack wisdom, we can ask God and He will tell us what we need to know. This knowledge comes through the Holy Ghost. We will receive an answer through warm and comforting feelings in our heart (because Satan cannot bring a feeling of peace) and in this way, we can know God and Jesus are real. We can also use the testimony of the Holy Ghost to know what doctrines are true and which church is God’s church. To receive this witness, we must pray and ask for an answer, committing ourselves to act on the answer. We must not ask unless we’re willing to accept and live by the answer.

Some people warn others not to pray, saying you can’t tell who is answering you. However, Mormons believe that since God promised He would answer us, we can trust Him to find a way to make sure we recognize the source of all truth. This is the role of the Holy Ghost—to give us answers we can recognize as coming from God when we pray. The more we pray, the better we will become at recognizing what the Holy Ghost feels like.

Mormons convey the gift of the Holy Ghost after baptism. Mormons can be baptized at age eight, which they consider the age of accountability, when a child is old enough to know right from wrong if he’s been taught, and to pray to know what is true. They are expected to pray for a testimony prior to their baptisms. After they are baptized, they are confirmed members of the Church and receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost. Prior to this, they have the Spirit of Christ and can receive periodic promptings from the Holy Ghost to help them recognize truth. However, after they are given the Gift of the Holy Ghost by someone with the proper priesthood authority, they can have the Holy Spirit with them all the time, as long as they are living worthy of His presence.

A Mormon teenager who enters a friends’ home to discover the parents aren’t home and the teenagers who are present are making plans to drink can receive a warning from the Holy Spirit to leave the home. If she chooses to ignore the warning and stay, she may find herself on her own, since the Holy Spirit can’t be where wickedness is, and choosing to ignore the promptings of the Holy Spirit tells Him He is not welcome. However, the teen who obeys will protect herself from very difficult situations. A driver who has a sudden spiritual impression to pull off the road may discover she has avoided an accident that happens moments later to the cars just behind her. This does not mean we can avoid all trials or dangers. However, it helps us to avoid those that are not necessary for our personal growth and plan or to avoid many—but not all—hardships.

Another role of the Holy Spirit is to serve as a comforter.

And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever (John 14:16).

Life is sometimes very difficult. No life is without sadness or trial because we came here in part to learn and to be tested. However, Jesus promised not to leave us comfortless and so he sent the Holy Spirit. Even when we feel all alone in our trials, He can be there, if invited, to help us through it and to provide comforting companionship and reassurance.

The Holy Spirit also helps us receive spiritual gifts and to be sanctified as we repent. As we can see, although He may get talked about less than the other two members of the Godhead, He plays a powerful role in the success of our mortal lives.

Although anyone can attend most Mormon services and activities without being a member, conversion is required to experience everything the Church has to offer. Mormonism is actually a nickname for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the principles of Mormon conversion are based on the teachings of Jesus Christ, whose mission is as central to Mormonism as His name is to the true name of the Church.

A book called True to the Faith: A Gospel Reference, which offers introductions to many Mormon principles, explains that conversion is not an event in Mormonism. It is a process. Simply announcing that we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior does not complete the process. Gaining a testimony that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints does not complete the process. Nor does baptism or confirmation as a member of the Church. Conversion, for a Mormon, is a life-long process, and even an eternal one. It may be why Pew Foundation studies often show Mormon teens and adults score higher than many other religions in various aspects of religiosity. An understanding that conversion requires constant effort and strengthening will naturally lead one to work harder at keeping the commandments, studying, praying, and improving faith.

Conversion is expected of all Mormons, even those who were born into Mormon families. From very early childhood, Mormons are taught to study the gospel and then to pray to God to know if it is true. Only God can give a sure answer to the question of which church to join. Mormon children are baptized at age eight and are encouraged to pray for their initial testimony prior to that time.

Those who join at age nine or older meet with missionaries prior to baptism. A series of lessons, called discussions, help them learn the very basics of the gospel. They certainly won’t know everything prior to baptism, but they have a foundation to start with and can continue to study and pray afterwards.

Conversion is normally a very quiet and personal event. While some experience miracles, such as the one received by the apostle Paul, most do not. Their prayers are answered in very quiet ways, sometimes so quietly the person has a testimony without even knowing it.

Dieter F. Uchtdorf, a Mormon apostle, calls this “waiting on the road to Damascus.” This is a reference to Paul’s miraculous conversion. Because they haven’t had a big dramatic revelation or miracle, they think God hasn’t given them a testimony yet.

We know that manifestations such as this happen. In fact, we testify that a similar divine experience happened in 1820 to a boy named Joseph Smith. It is our clear and certain testimony that the heavens are open again and that God speaks to His prophets and apostles. God hears and answers the prayers of His children.

Nevertheless, there are some who feel that unless they have an experience similar to Saul’s or Joseph Smith’s, they cannot believe. They stand at the waters of baptism but do not enter. They wait at the threshold of testimony but cannot bring themselves to acknowledge the truth. Instead of taking small steps of faith on the path of discipleship, they want some dramatic event to compel them to believe.

They spend their days waiting on the road to Damascus.  (See Waiting on the Road to Damascus by Dieter F. Uchtdorf.)

Those working to gain a testimony are taught to study the gospel. You must read the Bible and the Book of Mormon to know they are true. You can’t have a testimony of something if you don’t know it exists or don’t know enough about it. Often, as a person is studying the teachings of the Mormons, he will begin to feel a warmth and peace in his heart. This comes from the Holy Ghost and is the only way conversion occurs. Another way to gain a testimony is to act as if it were true. If you want to know if God really wants  you to keep the Word of Wisdom, the Mormon health code, begin to keep it and see what happens. God can better testify to you of the truthfulness of something while you are living it, because he can show you the blessings.

David A. Bednar, also a Mormon apostle, helped listeners at a recent conference understand the principle of gradual conversion in a talk called The Spirit of Revelation:

We as members of the Church tend to emphasize marvelous and dramatic spiritual manifestations so much that we may fail to appreciate and may even overlook the customary pattern by which the Holy Ghost accomplishes His work. The very “simpleness of the way” (1 Nephi 17:41) of receiving small and incremental spiritual impressions that over time and in totality constitute a desired answer or the direction we need may cause us to look “beyond the mark” (Jacob 4:14).

I have talked with many individuals who question the strength of their personal testimony and underestimate their spiritual capacity because they do not receive frequent, miraculous, or strong impressions. Perhaps as we consider the experiences of Joseph in the Sacred Grove, of Saul on the road to Damascus, and of Alma the Younger, we come to believe something is wrong with or lacking in us if we fall short in our lives of these well-known and spiritually striking examples. If you have had similar thoughts or doubts, please know that you are quite normal. Just keep pressing forward obediently and with faith in the Savior. As you do so, you “cannot go amiss” (D&C 80:3).

Once a Mormon or potential Mormon has received this testimony from God, he is expected to act on it. If we go to God with a request for help or advice, we must act on the light He gives us.

This initial testimony is only a beginning place, however. Over the coming years, Mormons will continue to study and pray. They will plan for experiences that will strengthen their testimonies of Jesus Christ and become more familiar with His teachings. They will continue to improve their ability to live the commandments of God. All of these things will continue a lifelong process of conversion. As our testimonies grow stronger, our ability to obey God becomes easier. As obedience becomes easier, our testimonies are strengthened. It is those first steps that are critical; after that every step circles back to strengthen the previous steps and to make the next ones easier.

Treating conversion as a process rather than a single event makes it more likely a person will sustain the initial conversion and more likely he will continue to work on improving his testimony and spirituality. True to the Faith offers several benefits that come from being truly converted:

1.    A desire to do good. Someone with a true conversion will not be perfect, but will be filled with a desire to make gospel-appropriate choices out of love for Jesus Christ. The motive behind the goal is one sign of true conversion.

2.    A refusal to rebel against God. A person who is truly converted will accept the teachings of God and of the prophet without rebellion or trying to “exempt” any teaching or action that does not match other non-spiritual aspects of his life.

3.    A willingness to share the gospel. When we have something we know will make the lives of others better, we long to share it. If we have a testimony of the gospel and know how much happier it has made us, love for others will cause us to share it with them.

4.    An increased love for others. When we are truly converted, God can fill our hearts with love for others and a desire to help them be happy and safe. It impacts the way we treat others and the way we view them.

These goals often take a lifetime to achieve, but each day we are actively working on our testimonies and conversions, we are bringing ourselves closer to a Christ-like life and a complete conversion.

Many of the reviews of the Broadway’s The Book of Mormon Musical claim it is only an attack on blind faith. The suggestion is, then, that the missionaries in the musical were operating on blind faith and that perhaps the converts were as well.

The musical features two young Mormon missionaries, one who wishes he’d been sent somewhere more fun and the other who knows nothing about his religion and so spends his time preaching Star Wars and Lord of the Rings. This is, of course, hardly a realistic portrayal of the typical Mormon missionary. Missionaries generally love being sent out of the country and the more unusual the place, the better. In addition, they are extremely well-educated in their faith.

Blind faith suggests basing faith on nothing at all. This is not what the truly converted Mormon does. First, by the time a missionary leaves for his mission at age nineteen, he knows far more than the average American teenager knows about his or her own faith. A recent Pew Forum study showed that Mormon teens were among the very few who could intelligently discuss their beliefs and were more likely to live it. Even a cursory review of Mormon teen life would have shown the composers that if they want ignorant missionaries, the Mormons aren’t the place to look for them.

Mormon children begin their religious educations in the home as infants. Their families hold daily scripture study and family prayer. In addition, they have a weekly Family Home Evening, which includes a lesson a gospel principle. In most homes, family members take turns teaching, in addition to rotating the other responsibilities in the home. In this way, young children learn how to teach their beliefs—which is one reason they can intelligently discuss them—and to lead meetings, conduct music, and plan activities. They learn the leadership skills necessary to become good missionaries.

When they are just eighteen months old, they begin to attend the nursery class. Although it is for toddlers and there is ample time to play, they also have lessons and spiritual singing times. They attend the regular worship service with their parents and attend their class during the two classes held afterwards. At age three, they start to attend regular classes and are also invited to prepare and give brief sermons, called talks, in the children’s program. Again, this helps them learn and discuss their beliefs. From ages eight to twelve, they attend a children’s group two to four times a month.

Teenagers get a far more extensive program of education. They give at least one sermon a year, lasting about five minutes, to the entire congregation and sometimes teach classes to their peers as well. Besides attending Sunday School and a class for young men or young women on gospel living, they also have a weekly activity where they put what they’ve learned into practice. They have regular service projects, youth conferences, and religious camps.

Beginning in high school, teens attend a class that is both spiritual and academic in nature on the scriptures. In this class they learn the scriptures in great depth, since it is held almost every school day, usually very early in the morning. The four year program devotes two years to the Bible, one to the Book of Mormon, and one to church history and modern revelations. They are required to read each of these books of scripture as part of this program, the weeknight program, and Sunday School. Since the classes are not all on the same book at the same time, they usually have several books to read at once.

While they are in college, they attend a similar program that is even more rigorous, both spiritually and academically. Most missionaries will have had several years of this program, known as Institute of Religion, behind them before they begin their missions.

As you can see, between home, church, and personal study, a Mormon missionary leaves for his mission with a great deal of education in his faith. Of course, there is more to faith than just knowledge, but knowledge is important. Mormons do not believe in blind faith. Children and converts are expected to learn the beliefs of their faith prior to baptism, which cannot happen earlier than age eight. While they may have only a rudimentary knowledge at this time, they are expected to continue to study and learn.

Next comes testimony. A testimony of God, of Jesus Christ, and of the Savior’s church is a requirement for baptism. Even children are taught to pray for a testimony. They beginning saying simple prayers with a parent’s help as soon as they can talk, but as they get older, they learn how to make prayer a personal conversation with God and to ask for and to receive answers. It is a lack of understanding of faith that makes The Book of Mormon Musical an extremely inaccurate portrayal of Christianity in general. Most Christians do not operate on blind faith.

A Mormon bases his faith on knowledge gained in a personal way. We all know we believe most strongly in things we have personally proven and this is the way with religion. There are some who say we need a physical proof in order to justify believing, but of course, proof is not faith and God teaches that faith what we were sent here to earth to learn. And yet, while we may not have put our hands on specific objects or seen God in person, we can still know what is true.

A Christian does not believe in the Bible because he saw the original papyrus on which it was written or because he personally watched the author at work. He might find scientific proof of the Bible’s authenticity interesting, but it isn’t the basis of his faith. If there were not lions found in the places and times the Bible says there were lions, a Christian knows it is not that they weren’t there, but that we haven’t found the proof yet. Science makes new discoveries every day and today, many things scientists once said weren’t true have been proven true. Christians are patient people in their faith.

Mormons, who also use the Bible, exercise this same faith in the Book of Mormon as well. They don’t need to see the plates on which the Book of Mormon was written any more than they need to see the papyrus on which the Bible was written. They enjoy seeing that archaeologists have, in modern times, discovered ancient records recorded on metal plates, even though they said, in Joseph Smith’s time they never were. However, that isn’t why they believe. They believed before scientists made that discovery.

Everyone knows things that they have never proven scientifically. We live by and believe in many scientific facts without bothering to recreate the experiments for ourselves. We believe in love even though we don’t head for a laboratory to find out if we really are in love. We believe in democracy without a scientific proof that it is the best form of government. We choose our parenting methods based on instincts and preference. We live our lives using faith in things we cannot or choose not to scientifically prove.

And yet, Mormons believe they can prove the existence of God and the truthfulness of their religion. They can’t prove it to anyone else because faith must be individually proven. This proof comes from the Holy Ghost. A person must first have a desire to believe and a basic understanding of what he is about to pray for. Then he takes it to God, because while man is imperfect and might mislead, God never will lead us astray. A testimony based only on material proof can be destroyed when science makes a new discovery that contradicts the old beliefs. The testimony of man can become shaky when we see that person’s imperfection or hear something we didn’t want to believe. When the testimony comes from God, however, there is no question that it is true.

Dallin H. Oaks, a Mormon apostle of Jesus Christ, offered this explanation of why faith is not blind faith:

“In closing, I refer to the relationship between obedience and knowledge. Members who have a testimony and who act upon it under the direction of their Church leaders are sometimes accused of blind obedience.

Of course, we have leaders, and of course, we are subject to their decisions and directions in the operation of the Church and in the performance of needed priesthood ordinances. But when it comes to learning and knowing the truth of the gospel—our personal testimonies—we each have a direct relationship with God, our Eternal Father, and His Son, Jesus Christ, through the powerful witness of the Holy Ghost. This is what our critics fail to understand. It puzzles them that we can be united in following our leaders and yet independent in knowing for ourselves.

Perhaps the puzzle some feel can be explained by the reality that each of us has two different channels to God. We have a channel of governance through our prophet and other leaders. This channel, which has to do with doctrine, ordinances, and commandments, results in obedience. We also have a channel of personal testimony, which is direct to God. This has to do with His existence, our relationship to Him, and the truth of His restored gospel. This channel results in knowledge. These two channels are mutually reinforcing: knowledge encourages obedience (see Deuteronomy 5:27; Moses 5:11), and obedience enhances knowledge (see John 7:17; D&C 93:1).

We all act upon or give obedience to knowledge. Whether in science or religion, our obedience is not blind when we act upon knowledge suited to the subject of our action. A scientist receives and acts upon a trusted certification of the content or conditions of a particular experiment. In matters of religion, a believer’s source of knowledge is spiritual, but the principle is the same. In the case of Latter-day Saints, when the Holy Ghost gives our souls a witness of the truth of the restored gospel and the calling of a modern prophet, our choice to follow those teachings is not blind obedience.” (See Dallin H. Oaks, “Testimony”, Ensign, April 2008 General Conference.)

In 1852, when Hannah Last Cornaby was baptized, she and her husband had to enter the church building through a volley of stones being thrown at them by a screaming mob. She did not turn back. She bravely pushed through the mob, coping with the rocks and insults and allowed her husband to baptize her. Perhaps this event motivated her to later write the LDS hymn, “Who’s On the Lord’s Side?”

Who’s on the Lord’s side? Who?

Now is the time to show.

We ask it fearlessly:

Who’s on the Lord’s side? Who?

(“Who’s on the Lord’s Side?” Hymns, no. 260)

Hannah didn’t just choose the Lord’s side when it was easy or popular. She chose it when her very life was in danger. She left her home in England for it and endured many hardships with good humor for it. Hannah chose the Lord’s side.

Today, there are many forces trying to get us to choose the other side. Secular forces try to convince us it is old-fashioned to be on the Lord’s side. Political parties urge loyalty to them over the gospel. Media mocks the Lord’s side on a regular basis. This is reminiscent of a story in the Book of Mormon about a prophet named Lehi.

Lehi had a vision which featured a tree. The tree represented God’s love. Many people worked to get to the tree but some, after reaching it and tasting the fruit, became aware of a great and spacious building off to the side. It was filled with glamorous people who were mocking those who worked so hard to reach the tree. Many people got distracted by this or embarrassed by the taunts and rushed away, abandoning God to join the people in the building. The building represented the secular world.

Today, that building is rapidly filling up with people who never tasted God’s love and with those who did taste it but who thought they could find a better way to live, one with fewer rules, perhaps, or one with more selfish rules, or one that is more popular. There are so many distractions to test our testimonies.

The true test of whose side you are on comes when a person, a political party, a television program or some other thought leader you admire takes a stand that is different from the one your faith declares is God’s stand. For Mormons, this refers to what the prophets tell us, since only a prophet can speak for God—the Bible makes this very clear. In Mormon beliefs, the test comes when the prophet declares something, as a prophet, that is different from a belief you cherished. What do you do? Do you refuse to raise your hand to sustain the prophet or do you get down on your knees and pray to know what is true?

Your decision will help you know the depth of your testimony.

15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. (Joshua 24:15.)

There are many gods calling on us to switch sides, and it takes courage and a firm foundation of faith to identify the correct one and to choose that side before anything else.

The Lord has left no doubt in defining His side and where the Saints should be in their thoughts, words, actions, and practices. We have His counsel in the scriptures and in the words of the prophets. To ancient Israel, the Lord said through Moses: “I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil.” (Deut. 30:15.) The Lord counseled His prophet Jeremiah to instruct the people: “Behold, I set before you the way of life, and the way of death.” (Jer. 21: 8.) That is the contrast; that is the choice. Either we are on the Lord’s side of the line or on the side of the adversary. Nephi declared, [we] “are free to act for [ourselves]—to choose the way of everlasting death or the way of eternal life.” (2 Ne. 10:23.) Yes, “men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they 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; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself.” (2 Ne. 2:27.) (See Joseph B. Wirthlin, “The Lord’s Side”, Ensign, Mar. 1993, 69 )

It is often not the big sins that catch us off-guard, especially as we get older and are good at resisting certain typesof temptations. Instead, it is often the small things, the single toe sliding across the line to decide we disagree with the prophet on this one little thing. Unfortunately, the toe is attached to a foot and one small decision away from the teaching of the prophets can lead to making it easier to disagree with the prophet on one more thing. Soon our whole foot is over the line, and then our bodies, and finally our hearts. Step by small step, Satan wins the battle.

The statements of the prophets are not given to compel, coerce, dictate, control, or infringe on any person’s right to choose. Church leaders are guided by the Lord’s injunction in the Doctrine and Covenants: “No power or influence can or ought to be maintained by virtue of the priesthood, only by persuasion, by long-suffering, by gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned;

“By kindness, and pure knowledge, which shall greatly enlarge the soul without hypocrisy, and without guile.” (D&C 121:41–42.) The prophets and other Church leaders never have misled the members on a principle of righteousness. Every principle is for our benefit. However, if we choose to ignore the prophets, we choose the consequences that follow. We have the God-given agency to either follow the prophets or not, but we cannot choose the consequences of exercising that agency. They will follow with absolute certainty. If we ignore the prophets, we become like the people the Savior chastised when he said, “Why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?” (Luke 6:46.) (See Joseph B. Wirthlin, “The Lord’s Side”, Ensign, Mar. 1993, 69.)

Being on the Lord’s side sometimes requires us to make changes in long-held beliefs. We don’t have to automatically accept what we hear. We can take it to God and pray for wisdom. However, we know the prophet will not lead us astray and at some point in time, we have to gain a testimony of the prophet, not just of individual doctrine. It is not the work of the prophet to tell us what we want to hear or what the world wants us to say.

You may not like what comes from the authority of the Church. It may conflict with your political views. It may contradict your social views. It may interfere with some of your social life … Your safety and ours depends upon whether or not we follow … Let’s keep our eye on the President of the Church.” (Harold B. Lee, Conference Report, October 1970, p. 152–153.)

Sometimes, when faced with a prophet who seems to be telling us something different from what we thought was the word of God, we turn to dead prophets. “But Joseph Smith said….”

Ezra Taft Benson, a past Mormon prophet, spoke of this challenge:

But it is the living prophet who really upsets the world. “Even in the Church,” said President Kimball, “many are prone to garnish the sepulchres of yesterdays prophets and mentally stone the living ones.” (Instructor, 95:527.)

Why? Because the living prophet gets at what we need to know now, and the world prefers that prophets either be dead or worry about their own affairs. Some so-called experts of political science want the prophet to keep still on politics. Some would-be authorities on evolution want the prophet to keep still on evolution. And so the list goes on and on.

How we respond to the words of a living prophet when he tells us what we need to know, but would rather not hear, is a test of our faithfulness.

Said President Marion G. Romney, “It is an easy thing to believe in the dead prophets, but it is a greater thing to believe in the living prophets.” (Ezra Taft Benson, “Fourteen Fundamentals in Following the Prophet“, Liahona, June 1981, 1)

For a Mormon, a prophet today is the same as a prophet in Biblical times. God counseled people to listen to the prophets, not just when they agreed with them but always. Refusing to do so came with dire consequences. While today, we may not find ourselves on the wrong side of the ark doors because we didn’t follow the prophet, we can find ourselves in a much worse situation.

“The Prophet spoke out clearly on Friday morning, telling us what our responsibilities are …

“A man said to me after that, ‘You know, there are people in our state who believe in following the Prophet in everything they think is right, but when it is something they think isn’t right, and it doesn’t appeal to them, then that’s different.’ He said, ‘Then they become their own prophet. They decide what the Lord wants and what the Lord doesn’t want.’

“I thought how true, and how serious when we begin to choose which of the covenants, which of the commandments we will keep and follow, we are taking the law of the Lord into our own hands and become our own prophets, and believe me, we will be led astray, because we are false prophets to ourselves when we do not follow the Prophet of God. No, we should never discriminate between these commandments, as to those we should and should not keep” (N. Eldon Tanner, CR, October 1966, p. 98, quoted in the above-mentioned talk by Elder Benson.)

In Mormon beliefs, the prophet is the mouthpiece of God. God said he would do nothing without first revealing it to his prophets and He did not put a time limit on that promise. Today, as in Old Testament times, God is speaking. Today, the spiritual situation is at least as perilous as it was in past times when prophets spoke loudly and clearly, declaring the word of God. It is the personal responsibility of each person today to pray to know if there is a prophet on the earth, who he is, and how he is to be followed. The rewards and penalties for our decision to do this or to not do it, and for our decisions about following him, are the same as they were in Biblical times. The prophet of God helps us to stay on the Lord’s side, not just when it’s easy, but always.

Who is the Mormon prophet today?

In the previous post, we learned that a missionary named Alma, whose story is found in the Book of Mormon, had gone to preach to an apostate group called the Zoramites. He found the wealthy among them engaged in an arrogant, self-centered form of religion, in which they showed up to the synagogue once a week and each, in turn, climbed onto a tower to recite an identical prayer that simply bragged about how chosen and wonderful they were. They came in their expensive clothing and fine jewelry. Once they returned home, they gave no further thought to God until they returned.

Prayer is an important part of developing faith.

In addition, they kept the poor out of the church. Wealth was, in their minds, proof of their specialness, proof that they had been chosen and all others were doomed. Alma, encountering these poor, realized they had been humbled through their trials and longed to be allowed to worship. He decided not to bother with the arrogant wealthy people and instead to preach to the poor.

In this sermon, he gave one of the greatest sermons on faith ever written. The people were upset about being kept out of the temple because they believed this meant they were unable to worship God. Alma assured them you don’t have to be in a church building to worship. Worship was not a once a week event, but a way of life.

Alma explained that signs were not the way to gain faith, because if you know something you don’t need faith and faith is important. “And now as I said concerning faith—faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therefore if ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen, which are true (Alma 32:21).”

He then points out something many people did not understand, which is that God doesn’t just give His knowledge and wisdom to men, but He also gives it to women. Even young children can receive a testimony of faith.

Alma challenged his listeners to try an experiment: Do the things Alma asks and see what happens. This is one way to gain faith of something. He assured them that if they could do no more than want to believe it would be enough to get them started on the path to a testimony.

28 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.

Alma is telling them how to take the first small steps to a testimony of Jesus Christ, in whom the Zoramites did not believe. He told them that their desire for a testimony was like a seed they could plant in their hearts. If they nurtured that seed, they would begin to feel something special, a swelling in their hearts that would enlarge their souls and lead them to understand more about the Savior. This will tell them they have planted a good seed.

However, this is only a first step. If that seed were to grow to the size of a tree, they would need to nurture it. A neglected tree will not grow properly. How do you nurture a brand new faith?

Alma began by reminding them they do not need to be inside a church building to worship. Even if they were barred from the church, they could worship on their own elsewhere. They should also not squeeze all their worship into a single day. Worshipping God should be a part of everyday life.

Next he talked to them of Jesus Christ. He reminded them the scriptures testified of Jesus and if they read and believed those scriptures, they also had to believe in Jesus Christ, their Savior. He assured them if they made true worship a part of their lives and developed their testimonies of Jesus, their newly beginning seed of faith would develop into a tree.

This sermon applies to us today, as well. We can take a mere desire to know what is true and turn it into a testimony the size of a tree. First, as Alma taught, we have to want to know what is true and to be prepared to accept it even if we don’t like the answer. We must be willing to put God’s truth and His will before our own. The greater our faith, the easier this will be.

Once we have a desire for faith, we can begin to develop knowledge. The poor people of the Zoramites stopped their work and listened as Alma and his companions taught the gospel. Those of us today who want to know what is true need to study the Bible and the Book of Mormon to find out what they really say, not just what others have told us they say.

A person wanting to know if the Mormons have the truth will read this book with a sincere desire to know God’s will. He will pray prior to his study each day and will pray again afterwards—and even in the middle as needed. He will tell God what he thinks and ask God to confirm it for him. A swelling in the heart of peace and joy comes from God. Satan cannot bring true peace or joy. He can only give us a worldly sense of pleasure.

This process can take time, moving from study to prayer and back to study. For some, it is the process of an hour. For others it can take months or even a year or two. The speed of our confirmation from God has nothing to do with our worthiness or how much God loves us. It is simply that God has a timetable for each of us and the process of slowly gaining a testimony can actually be very beneficial.

Our responsibility is to learn the gospel and to experiment by trying to live it the best we can. In that way, we can find out if it enlarges our soul, as Alma put it. If it does, and if God confirms to our heart that we are doing good, we will know what we need to do. But when we ask God to tell us what is true, we must be prepared to act on the answer, even if it’s hard. The answer may not be what we hoped for, but doing what God asked us to do is our responsibility.

There is a great joy that comes from knowing we are following in God’s ways, even when it’s hard. The blessings are eternal, while the sacrifices are only temporal and not worth grieving over.

Experiment on the word. You might be surprised to find out what happens.

Have you ever seen a mustard seed? It is extremely tiny, but Jesus taught us that if we have even faith the size of a mustard seed we can do miracles.

When Jesus was asked why He had been able to cast out devils from a child when His disciples had not, He answered, “If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you  (Matthew 17:20, King James Translation of the Bible.)

Another time His apostles asked Him to strengthen their faith for them. He responded, “And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you” (Luke 17:6, King James translation of the Bible.)

If faith the size of a mustard seed could lead to those kinds of miracles, imagine what you could do with faith even half that size. In the Book of Mormon, we’re taught that even a longing for faith is enough to start the process of learning to trust God.

Although many of us struggle with faith, it is often because we’re thinking we need so much more to start the process than we really do. Of course, we want to continually work to strengthen our faith in Jesus Christ, but we only need desire to get started.

Faith means to believe in something we can’t prove scientifically. Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1.)

Although most of us hope for a great many things, God and Jesus are the only certainties. Everything else can be altered or lost. For that reason, our journey for faith has to start with God and Jesus.

When we read the scripture above, Paul’s great sermon on faith found in the eleventh chapter of Hebrews we can find examples of people whose lives are recorded in the scriptures and who demonstrated faith. One way to start our journey is by studying those lives and the lives of others who have shown great faith in their own lives. As you read, ask why God wanted that story in the Bible and how you could apply the lessons of faith learned in your own life.

The Bible offers several different pieces of advice on gaining faith. Paul taught the Romans, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” This means we need to learn more about God and Jesus in order to begin developing faith. This can come by reading the Bible, praying, pondering, and studying good material on the subject. When gathering material from sources other than the direct word of God, it’s important to pray to know whether or not what you are reading is true.

Learn how to pray.

James taught us that another step is obedience to the laws of God. He reminded us of Abraham, who was willing, if necessary, to sacrifice his only son simply because God asked him to. James said that Abraham’s faith was perfected through his works or actions. This means our beginning faith can grow when we live the teachings of Jesus Christ. Works are not what save us, but they are the manifestation of our faith. “Faith without works is dead,” taught James. He reminded the early Christians that Satan himself believes in God—has faith—but of course, Satan refuses to obey the laws of God, and therefore, cannot be saved. (See James 2 in the New Testament.) Neither faith nor works alone is enough. Faith brings with it a longing to live the commandments. The greater our faith, the easier it becomes to obey God, because we trust Him and we believe that by obeying God, the rewards will be far better than the sacrifices. James uses as an example a poor person approaching and asking for food and clothing. Preaching a sermon is not enough. We must follow up the teaching of our faith by helping that person physically. Our actions will flow naturally from our faith because we know God taught us the responsibilities to the poor, and out of love for Him and for the child of God who is in need, we obey.

Kevin W. Pearson summed up the stages of faith a person will go through as he sets a goal to develop faith:

“Desire is a particle of faith that develops within us as we experience divine truth. It is like spiritual photosynthesis. The influence of the Holy Ghost, acting on the Light of Christ within every human being, produces the spiritual equivalent of a chemical reaction—a stirring, a change of heart, or a desire to know. Hope develops as particles of faith become molecules and as simple efforts to live true principles occur.

As patterns of obedience develop, the specific blessings associated with obedience are realized and belief emerges. Desire, hope, and belief are forms of faith, but faith as a principle of power comes from a consistent pattern of obedient behavior and attitudes. Personal righteousness is a choice. Faith is a gift from God, and one possessed of it can receive enormous spiritual power” (Kevin W. Pearson, “Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ,” Ensign, May 2009, 38–40.)

It’s often said that fear and faith can’t exist in the same place. When we find ourselves afraid, it is due to a weak spot in our faith.

“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid,” Jesus told His followers shortly before leaving them. He often asked them not to be afraid, but they often found this harder than they expected. In Matthew 14, Peter wanted to walk on water after seeing Jesus doing it. He thought he had the faith to do that, and he had enough to step out of the boat and into the water. It was a starting faith. However, the wind picked up and Peter let his faith blow away with it. He panicked and called to Jesus for help. Jesus gently rebuked him, reminding him that he needed to strengthen his faith.

Although Jesus said we didn’t have to be afraid, we can choose to be afraid. Fear—lack of faith—is a choice. Naturally, everyone has times when he is afraid and it’s simply hard to hold on to the faith we normally have, particularly when the wind is blowing hard while we’re trying to walk on fragile water. These times are signals to us to increase our faith through prayer, scripture study, conversations with those who have faith, and obedience to the commandments. The more often we simply let God show us the way, instead of trying to take charge of our lives ourselves, the easier faith will become. We will see the good results that come—not always instantly, but eventually—of trusting God and our faith will grow.

One day, while reading the Book of Mormon, I was startled by a description of the prophet Ammon that I had not previously noticed, in Alma, chapter 18, verse 22:

Now Ammon being wise, yet harmless, he said unto Lamoni: Wilt thou hearken unto my words, if I tell thee by what power I do these things? And this is the thing that I desire of thee.

Wise, but harmless. This unexpected combination of words has stayed with me since that time and I’ve often thought about what they mean. It could mean the historian recording the event had a sense of humor, but it’s likely there is more to the phrase than might initially be obvious. How can you be wise, but harmless? The key lies in understanding the source of wisdom. When we are truly wise, and our wisdom comes from the proper source, we are harmless to others. When we mistake the source of wisdom, we can do great eternal damage to ourselves and to those we teach.

Today, too many people confuse credentials and secular knowledge for wisdom. They presume if a person has a high degree and an impressive resume, he must also be wise. The press, the politicians, and the ordinary people line up to learn wisdom from such people.

Job asked, “But where shall wisdom be found? and where is the place of understanding (Job 28:12)?

He goes on to answer the question in a beautiful poem:

13 Man knoweth not the price thereof; neither is it found in the land of the living.

14 The depth saith, It is not in me: and the sea saith, It is not with me.

15 It cannot be gotten for gold, neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof.

16 It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, or the sapphire.

17 The gold and the crystal cannot equal it: and the exchange of it shall not be for jewels of fine gold.

18 No mention shall be made of coral, or of pearls: for the price of wisdom is above rubies.

19 The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it, neither shall it be valued with pure gold.

20 Whence then cometh wisdom? and where is the place of understanding?

21 Seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living, and kept close from the fowls of the air.

22 Destruction and death say, We have heard the fame thereof with our ears.

23 God understandeth the way thereof, and he knoweth the place thereof.

24 For he looketh to the ends of the earth, and seeth under the whole heaven;

25 To make the weight for the winds; and he weigheth the waters by measure.

26 When he made a decree for the rain, and a way for the lightning of the thunder:

27 Then did he see it, and declare it; he prepared it, yea, and searched it out.

28 And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.

Secular knowledge is not bad; God expects us to learn, and he planted in many hearts a longing for knowledge. However, it is critical to know the difference between learning and wisdom. Timothy warned that in the last days-the days in which we live, people would be “ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. (2 Timothy 3:7). In the Book of Mormon, Nephi explains this problem even more clearly: “O that cunning plan of the evil one! O the vainness, and the frailties, and the foolishness of men! When they are learned they think they are wise, and they hearken not unto the counsel of God, for they set it aside, supposing they know of themselves, wherefore, their wisdom is foolishness and it profiteth them not. And they shall perish. But to be learned is good if they hearken unto the counsels of God.” (See 2 Nephi 9:28-29.)

As these prophets have made clear, wisdom can come only from God. Secular learning is useful for learning to physically heal a heart that is not functioning; only wisdom can heal a heart that is spiritually broken. While we need both types of learning in our lives, it is the wisdom that will help us find our way back to God. Wisdom helps us to evaluate the swarms of conflicting secular learning and the teachings of men and find in them what is really true. College professors sometimes declare only reason and logic must be used in making decisions, but when we rely on reason and brainpower to find truth, we only find confusion. Over the centuries, and even in the course of mere weeks, secular knowledge changes. Suddenly, even though everyone “knew” the sun revolved around the earth, now we know something different. One day we know a food is good for us, and the next a new study says it is not. Marriage that was once for life is suddenly until it’s no longer convenient. Secular knowledge is constantly changing to suit new discoveries or the selfish motives of others.

To find unchanging and perfect knowledge, we must turn to God, the source of all truth and wisdom. When we look to Him to understand complex issues of morality, family, purpose of life, and eternal perspective, we can be assured of finding truth that is unchanging and perfect. No new scientific studies are needed when the information comes from God. Changes in society don’t require changes in truth. Practices in the church might change, but practices aren’t doctrine. Doctrine is pure, unchanging truth and it is in that doctrine that wisdom is found.

“Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding (Proverbs 4:7).

Mormons teach that God’s prophets today, like those we read of in the Bible, are authorized to speak on God’s behalf for the entire church. Often, people who are not LDS find this concept amazing or even alarming. They wonder how we know if they’re telling us the truth. We are often asked silly questions like, “If your prophet told you to only wear blue, would you?”

Brigham Young had an answer for this question. He’s said to have told people his greatest fear was that people in the church would start to take what he said as the will of God and not take the time to go to God personally to receive confirmation of it.

Although Mormons are taught to honor their prophets and to follow them, it’s not a blind following. Only God can be completely trusted to always tell you the truth, and only God knows the truth of all things. Mormons are taught even before they join the church to pray and ask God if the current prophet really is God’s prophet. Then, afterwards, at any time, th

Thomas S. Monson, current

ey can return to God and ask about specific teachings the prophet has given.

In the case of the hypothetical situations Mormons are always being asked about, a member who reads an article by a church leader will generally follow the following pattern:

Before reading or listening, they pray for the spirit. This will often tell them what is true while they’re receiving the information. Once they received the counsel, they place it in context of other teachings they’ve received. For instance, if the prophet said to store food away so you’ll have enough to eat if you lose your job, a member would say, “Oh, I’ve heard that many times before and already know it’s true.” He wouldn’t likely take time to pray about this, since it’s repeated often.

If it’s new counsel, he might compare it to see if it fits in with previous teachings. For instance, prophets often tell us to store wheat. If this were the first time we’d been told to store wheat, we might think to ourselves, “Well, that’s the first time wheat’s been mentioned, but we’ve often been told to store food in general, so I’ll just add that to it.” It fits into previously given counsel.

However, if a member heard entirely new counsel, and just couldn’t quite feel comfortable with it-maybe because it would require him to stop doing something he loved-he could then take it to God in prayer. Following the established pattern for prayer, he would study the problem in his mind, come to a decision, probably based on what he already knows about God and the gospel, and then come to a conclusion. He’d then kneel in prayer and ask God if he’s made the right choice.

Spencer W. Kimball, a past prophet, spoke on the subject of blind faith. “When men obey commands of a creator, it is not blind obedience….God’s every command is righteous, every directive purposeful, and all for the good of the governed. …

Is it blind obedience when one regards the sign “High Voltage-Keep Away” or is it the obedience of faith in the judgment of experts who know the hazard?

Is it blind obedience when the air traveler fastens his seat belt as that sign flashes or is it confidence in the experience and wisdom of those who know more of hazards and dangers?

Is it blind obedience when the little child gleefully jumps from the table into the strong arms of its smiling father, or is this implicit trust in a loving parent who feels sure of his catch and who loves the child better than life itself? …

Is it then blind obedience when we, with our limited vision, elementary knowledge, selfish desires, ulterior motives, and carnal urges, accept and follow the guidance and obey the commands of our loving Father who … created a world for us, loves us, and has planned a constructive program for us, wholly without ulterior motive, whose greatest joy and glory is to “bring to pass the immortality and eternal life” of all his children? [See Moses 1:39.]

It is not blind obedience, even without total understanding, to follow a Father who has proved himself. (”Chapter 13: Obedience Born of Faith in God,” Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Spencer W. Kimball, (2006),135-44

In the case of the hot stove, it’s likely a child touched a hot stove against the advice of a parent at some time in his childhood. Having done so, he learned first that stoves can be hot, and secondly, that parents can be trusted. Over time, as his parents continued to be right about physical danger, it’s likely he stopped feeling the need to touch every stove or try out every dangerous thing. Whereas, as a toddler, he might have heard a parent say the stove was hot, but he had to find out for himself. As an eight-year-old, if his parents told him it was too dangerous to go outside in the current weather conditions, he might obey without first testing, having learned his parents were usually right.

In the same way, Mormons learn to trust their prophets, and they learn to trust God. A new member is likely to pray about every individual doctrine, but a later member, having learned that when he does so, God always says yes, the prophet is right, no longer needs to do this. He can spend his limited life doing more important things. He saves his confirmation prayers for those situations which leave him uncertain, or which require greater sacrifice to carry out.

Being able to turn to God is one way God protects his children from unscrupulous leadership. They need never take anyone’s word for any part of the gospel, but can always go directly to the source. The prophet delivers God’s message and guides the church, but each member is individually responsible for confirming the truthfulness of what they’re being told.

Someone just learning about the church through Mormon missionaries will be taught how to pray almost immediately. Then, after each lesson, he will be asked to pray about it privately to know for himself it’s true, rather than taking the word of the missionaries. This is a critical step in the member’s progression, because someone who does this is far less likely to fall away from the church in the future. His testimony will be based on a firm foundation-God.

When Joseph Smith was a teenager, he longed to know which church he should join. He found himself confused because each church he looked into had contradictory doctrine. How could they all be right, as some claimed? Rightly so, he sensed that truth was absolute and unchanging.

If God is the source of truth, and God is not a God of confusion, then there can’t be conflicting truths. If baptism is required to enter the kingdom of God, then it’s always required. If children infants shouldn’t be baptized, then they must never be baptized. Saying that baptism both is and is not required can both be true leads to confusion about important issues, and God doesn’t create confusion.

There are those who expect churches to be fashionable and “tolerant.” They feel churches should take no real stand on any issue, even those that affect salvation. There are churches which have done that, have kept up with the times and not worried too much about what the Bible actually says. However, this is not what God has taught us about truth.

And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. John 8: 32

John demonstrates the importance of knowing what is true. In order for us to know what’s true, there must be truth to know. Certain things must be so, whether we like them to be or not. We, as mortal beings, do not get to choose truth. Only God can do this. Our job isn’t to intellectualize truth or judge it, but to know it, live it, share it, and love it. The truth can then make us free.

So, when people accuse your church of being out of touch with the “real” world or the modern world, say it’s out of style or old-fashioned, measure your doctrine against God’s. If you find it’s in tune, then take their criticism as praise. It takes moral courage to stay with truth, and not wander off to the demands of fashion and those who are intolerant of God’s truths.

The Book of Mormon records a vision of the prophet Nephi. In this vision, there was a tree. Lehi understood that the tree had a wonderful fruit, which could bring joy to anyone who partook of it. The tree represented God’s love. Lehi naturally wanted his family to join him at the tree and eat the fruit. His wife and two youngest sons did, but his two oldest were rebellious and refused to come. Lehi watched others set out on the road that led to the tree. One group got sidetracked along the way. The next group found the iron rod that ran alongside the road after a while and held onto it so they wouldn’t get lost, even though a heavy mist had arisen. They stayed on the path, got to the tree, ate the fruit…and then made an eternally fatal error.

This group started looking around to check out how the rest of the world was viewing their wonderful accomplishment. To their surprise, the world wasn’t largely cheering them on. Instead, the people who had not entered the road or who hadn’t stayed on it mocked them, told them they were foolish, and called them names. The people who had successfully navigated the path couldn’t seem to tune out the mocking. They wanted to be loved and accepted, and so, humiliated by the mocking, they rushed off the path to join those who were elegantly dressed and very popular, but who were without truth.

There were other groups, but only one group was successful. Those people chose to take the path. They persevered until they reached the iron rod, which represented God’s word, and then held tight, allowing the rod to guide them to the tree. When they partook of the fruit, they enjoyed the blessings that came from it without taking an opinion poll to see what others thought of them. They didn’t care what others thought. They knew what was right and good, and they were content to have that, regardless of the jeers and persecutions of those less wise.

Today, those who choose to stay on the path and partake of God’s truths are jeered at and mocked. It takes real courage to stay firm and tune out the mockers. However, truth is truth. While it might seem temporarily more provident to follow those who have abandoned God, in the eternal scheme of things, those who honor God will have the best outcomes.
Those who truly know and love God do not expect him to alter truth for their convenience. They understand that truth is unchanging, and that it’s worth the hardships.

Since truth is the only meaningful foundation upon which we can make wise decisions, how then can one establish what is really true? Increasingly more people are finding that making wise decisions is becoming more and more difficult because of the ultra-interconnected world in which we live. Constantly forced into our consciousness is an incessant barrage of counsel, advice, and promotions. It is done by a bewildering array of media, Internet, and other means. On a given subject we can receive multiple strongly delivered, carefully crafted messages with solutions. But often two of the solutions can be diametrically opposed. No wonder some are confused and are not sure how to make the right decisions. (Richard G. Scott, “Truth: The Foundation of Correct Decisions,” Ensign, Nov 2007, 90–92)

What is truth? Truth is the state of being the case or, the body of real things, events, and facts. In this case, let’s talk about truth in relation to God and religion.

One: God lives. Jesus Christ, as I have mentioned over and over, is Jehovah of the Old Testament and the Messiah of the New. He was born into this world in humble circumstances. He did suffer for our sins, sorrows and illnesses in the Garden of Gethsemane. He not only suffered, He died. He was crucified and He was resurrected. There were not two or three witnesses of the resurrected Christ, but dozens. Thus, He forever broke the bands of death for Heavenly Father’s children, for you and me.

Two: Jesus Christ and our Heavenly Father are two distinct and separate personages of glorified flesh and bone. Along with the Holy Ghost, they comprise the Godhead: God the Father, God the Son and God the Testator.

Three: Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father did appear to Joseph Smith, Jr. early in the spring of 1820. At which time the fullness and truthfulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ was restored on the earth.

Four: We are children of God with a divine spark inside each of us that can be fanned into a great flame. We have only to reach for that divine potential, live the commandments of God and seek after His Son, Jesus Christ.

Five: The Holy Bible, as far as it is translated correctly, holds the word of God with the Book of Mormon standing as a second witness of Jesus Christ and a backup to the Holy Bible. Within its pages you will find the plain and precious truths of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

These are just five basic truths by which worlds revolve around. At the foundation of everything is plain and simple truth. The Gospel of Jesus Christ, in its entirety, is logical and based on plain and simple truth.

Elder Richard G. Scott, a living apostle, said,

The best way of finding truth is simply to go to the origin of all truth and ask or respond to inspiration. For success, two ingredients are essential: first, unwavering faith in the source of all truth; second, a willingness to keep God’s commandments to keep open spiritual communication with Him. (Richard G. Scott, “Truth: The Foundation of Correct Decisions,” Ensign, Nov 2007, 90–92)

In all things and in all matters, God will answer you. And, He will most definitely answer you in your search for truth. I invite you to read the Book of Mormon and come to an understanding of Jesus Christ and His Gospel.

With truth comes peace. With peace comes hope. With hope comes the understanding that there is so much more to life than the small piece we see. The foundation of all correct decisions is truth. That is what you must find.