Some of What I Believe

I believe in Christ Jesus.

I believe that the fulness of His Gospel is available again on the earth and its "mortal tabernacle" is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

I believe God is Love.

I believe that we are truly meant to give thanks in ALL things as we can read in Ephesians and Mosiah.  I have experienced that giving thanks for pain actually drastically reduces or radically eliminates the pain.  I have also experience that when I remember to give thanks in the midst of what I consider difficult, the difficulty of the situation becomes dramatically more manageable. These are truths are from my own experiences.  If God would do such for me, He will do it for anyone who will do as I have done (as imperfectly as I do all that I do).

I believe God gives me what I need most.  Sometimes that is exactly what I desire (rarely... I seem to be slow in understanding His Will all too often), but often it is NOT giving me what I desire when I think I want it.  As a huge example from my life...  I wanted to get married quite young.  I honestly cannot remember a time in my childhood when my greatest aspiration was anything other than Motherhood.  Truly.  I dated a lot and thought I wanted to marry any number of the guys I liked.  One in particular.  When I was 20.  If I'd gotten my way, I would've been a widow (probably with a few children) at 27.  Can you imagine?  I cannot.  I did get what I wanted... I married Jessie right after I turned 27.  That's almost 8 years later than I'd've planned for myself (and 7 years after the guy that I'd loved (who was killed when we were both 27) left me).  Jess and I had our first child a little over a year later.  I now have 4 children.  I'm a full-time Mama and love it more every day.  God gives us our hearts' desires when our heart desires aright.  However, He does not give on our timetable, but on His.

I believe I can live again with my Heavenly Parents and Savior because Jesus Christ fulfilled his roles and duties (and will yet complete His work) in Heavenly Father's Plan of Salvation for all mankind.  What a glorious plan with wonderful promises!

I believe that the Book of Mormon truly is ANOTHER Testament of Jesus Christ.  It tells of a people seperated from the main body of Israelites in the homeland and led to the American continent.  It tells of their growth, obedienve, prosperity, disobedience, degeneracy, negligence, the cycles between the two and the eventual fall of a whole branch of those peoples (Nephites).  It also tells of another two peoples who were also seperated from the main body of Israel and what became of them.  Most wonderfully and importantly, it tells of Christ's visit to those on the American continent as a fulfillment of his own words, "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." In the same way that I know the Bible to be the word of God, I know the Book of Mormon to be, also.  I know the Book of Mormon provides a second voice to confirm, clarify and support the first (the Bible).  It is another witness.  As God said, in times past, that His truth will be established by the mouth of two or three witnesses.  Why, then, not the truth of truths (the fulness of His Gospel) in like manner?  The Bible is one witness: that of the Jews in Jerusalem and the lands round about.  The Book of Mormon is another witness: that of the Nephites/Lamanites, Mulekites, and Jaredites (so, in effect, the Book of Mormon, itself, is a combination of three partial witnesses, which combine to make one very solid witness).

I believe the order of the Holy Priesthood of God has been re-established on the earth today within the structure of the LDS Church.  I believe God has the power and authority to act through any person at any time, but that humans can only consistenly have the authority to act in His name when certain conditions are met.  One more sure way to have the authority AND POWER to act in God's name (for men) is to hold and be a member of His Holy Priesthood, even the Aaronic and Melchesidic Priesthoods.  I believe woman was created from the beginning with an innate authority and power (co-creation with God in her body), so she needs no more assigned authority and power.  I recently found an AMAZING blog which very thoroughly describes these truths.  If you are a woman who feels "jipped" by not being able to hold the Priesthood (as is right), please make sure you read at least a couple posts by Rocket.  I hope your eyes will become more opened and you will come to cherish your position, role, and duties as a woman in God's Plan.  While his thoughts are not published as LDS Church Doctrine, they ring of great truths to many.

To finish where I started:  I believe in Jesus Christ.  The one and only son of God in the flesh.  Born of Mary whose adoptive earthly father was Joseph.  Born in Bethlehem because Joseph had to be there for to pay his taxes.  I know Christ grew up and began His mortal ministry at 30.  He suffered for our sins in the Garden of Gethsemane, was betrayed to the "rulers" of the Jews by Judas Iscariot.  He fulfilled sojourn as a mortal by death at Calvary.  He fulfilled a tremendous portion of the reason for His creation when He arose on the third day.  By so doing, He became the firstfruits of them that slept (see verse 20).

These things which I do believe are aspects of my testimony.  I know it's true because I've asked God and received a witness of the truthfulness of these things (and more).  You can, too.  God is no respecter of persons.  Surely you know that is truth.  So He will answer you, just as He has answered me.  So long as you are willing to give away all your sins to know Him.  It's a small price to pay.  I believe it.  I know it.  Will you?  I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.