Summary of my Beliefs

My Beliefs 

We lived with God as spirits before we were born. We loved Him and He loved us. God created a plan that would enable us to become more like him and enjoy greater happiness. It wouldn’t be without risk though because some of us might make choices that would further separate us from God. We would all fall short of perfection and would require someone to make up the difference. Jesus, who was able to live a perfect life volunteered to be our Savior because we could not do it alone. 

Lucifer also offered a plan. His plan was that we would all come to Earth without agency, or the ability to choose for ourselves. He said he wouldn’t lose any souls, but also desired to usurp God’s honor, power and glory. He and His followers were cast to Earth as spirits, without obtaining physical bodies. They want us to be miserable like themselves. 

God revealed His gospel to prophets. Prophets are spokesmen for God. Since we no longer see Him as part of this mortal experience, He spoke through those who were closest to Him. When we were born, a veil of forgetfulness was placed upon us so that we might be tested. God gave us the Light of Christ, which manifests as our conscience, to guide us. Through this light we inherently know good from evil. But we have to learn by making mistakes. Whatever is good brings us closer to God. When we choose to ignore our inner light, we dull our spiritual compass. The more we listen to it though the greater our connection to God and His spiritual gifts. We have to feel our way closer to Him.

The people in the ancient times were often led by God, but they rejected Him time and again. Often they wanted to follow the ways of the world rather than listen to His prophets. God was merciful and kind. However, when the people were so wicked that He knew they would only be reaping more condemnation upon themselves, He sometimes withdrew his gospel from them and natural consequences followed. 

Over time God would once again call a prophet and establish His authority on Earth. This authority enables us to make covenants with God such as baptism. These covenants are steps in our spiritual journey and help us receive a closer connection to God and a fuller measure of his spiritual light. This pattern of God calling prophets and the people eventually falling away was repeated time and again. 

Jesus Christ came to Earth to establish His church, to fulfill the laws of justice, and to overcome death. He called twelve apostles and a church leadership. The book of Ephesians in the New Testament says he did so for the unity of the church. However, the people rejected even Jesus. After suffering for our sins and later being crucified on the cross, He had risen from the dead and broken the bands of death. But told His followers that He would leave them in charge and return in His glory in the future in a period of complete peace. So His apostles and followers set out to teach all people. However with time they were also rejected and killed. Thus the church structure He established collapsed. Nevertheless the writings of the Bible remained to guide us and teach us of Christ’s sacrifice.

In about 400 AD Christianity began to be organized again. Later, many churches broke away and formed over the years as problems with the oldest church were recognized. These churches sought to reform the church back to how it was described in the Bible. 

A boy named Joseph Smith prayed in the year 1820 about which of all those churches was the one he should join. He had begun inquiring of others and studying the Bible to try to deduce the truth. He one day read in James 1:5, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God.” So he went to pray. When he prayed he had a vision of God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. They told him that the original church had been lost and that the existing churches lacked the power thereof. They told Joseph that they would restore the original power that existed in the original church in preparation for the return of Jesus Christ. Thus God began again to call prophets and apostles. 

God’s power is again on the Earth. This power can come into our lives as a comforting, uplifting and ennobling influence. It can also manifest through miracles. However, miracles are a result of faith. Faith causes miracles, not the other way around. I believe that each and every person is a fellow traveler in this journey of life. I believe God’s influence extends across borders, denominations, and every other dividing line we can set. I do believe in absolute truth, but no matter how far along on the path we are, whether we even believe in God or not, the light of God is seeking to guide us closer to Him. He is reaching out to all of us and inviting us to draw closer to the path that leads back to Him. Peace of conscience comes when we seek to follow that guiding influence rather than drown it out by justifying our greed or selfishness. May we all be filled with love and compassion and be courteous even in our disagreements, as we march onward together to a more loving and better world.