My older brother lived in Brazil for two years doing a service mission for our Church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, (inadvertently referred to as The Mormon Church.)

One time we received a letter from him detailing parts of his life in Sao Paulo, Brazil as a missionary.  Part of the letter described his rigorous schedule and the physical demands required of him everyday.  In his positive letter, you could almost see his face as his language brightly described the necessary miles upon miles that he had to walk each and every day just to get around the city.  He described living in favelas, or Brazilian “ghettos”, in places with limited electricity, heated water and other basic living features. And as he explained in his letter, he loved it.

When I heard these details, I was concerned.  It surprised me then, when my parents looked at each other, smiled, and remarked that my older brother “must be so happy.  Because you’re happiest in life when you’re helping other people.”

I remember in one letter to me he wrote:

“Livi, we walk so much every day.  We work so hard from the moment we wake up.  Most nights we drag ourselves into our apartment and I fall into the bed, shoes and all, too tired to change.  I love it here.”

Mormon Missionary Work Follows The Apostles of Jesus

Like the apostles in the New Testament, missionaries for The Church of Jesus Christ (Latter-day Saint, LDS or Mormon) leave their homes, pause their educational pursuits, careers and all other aspects of their lives and sacrifice time from a matter of months up to two years to serve a mission to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to serve His children.

The missionary effort is based on the New Testament pattern of missionaries serving in pairs, teaching the gospel and baptizing believers in the name of Jesus Christ (see, for example, the work of Peter and John in the book of Acts).

Missionaries for The Church of Jesus Christ strive to follow the example of the Apostles.  The young men and women, older adults and senior couples who serve missions go as volunteers and finance the mission themselves.  They live a life of discipline and dedication and around the clock service to both local members and community members not of our faith.

Mormonnewsroom.org details a typical missionary schedule,

A typical missionary day begins by waking at 6:30 a.m. for personal study. The day is spent proselytizing by following up on appointments, visiting homes or meeting people in the street or other public places. Missionaries end their day by 10:30 p.m.

In some parts of the world, missionaries are sent only to serve humanitarian or other specialized missions. Those missionaries do not proselytize.

Missionary work is voluntary. Missionaries fund their own missions — except for their transportation to and from their field of labor — and are not paid for their services.

Contacts with family and friends during this time of service are limited to letters and occasional phone calls to family at special times. Missionaries avoid entertainment, parties or other activities common to this age-group as long as they are on their missions, so they can focus entirely on the work of serving and of teaching others the gospel of Jesus Christ.

More than 50,000 missionaries are serving missions for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at any one time. Most are young people under the age of 25, serving in nearly 350 missions throughout the world.”

When my older brother was done with his missionary service in Brazil, my family flew done to pick him up.  We were able to meet many people that he had served and taught the gospel to.  We actually briefly visited a couple of families who lived in the edge of dangerous favelas.  Their circumstances were some of the most humble and basic I have ever seen.  We had such a special, rewarding time meeting all these people who were taught by or interacted with my brother.  More than one family would grab our hands and fervently say, “Thank you for sending your son to us.  Thank you for sending him to help us.”

Jesus Commanded: Go Forth and Serve

In Matthew 10:16-17, Jesus instructed His apostles to go forth and preach the gospel.  He promised them power and also instructed them to heal and serve those whom they were teaching.  The Savior also warned that they would not be welcomed and would be persecuted:

Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues.

My husband is the greatest example of missionary work I know.  He had a very different experience from my three brothers who served in various places.  He served a church proselyting mission in England.  Like my brothers, he worked and saved to finance his mission himself.  He prepared himself, put his life on hold and sacrificed years of his life as a 19 year old.

He also lived in un-glamorous circumstances and walked endlessly every day.  In his mission as well, they provided service to those around them.

My husband loves England and the English people.  He feels extremely connected to them, deeply respects them and loves them.  He worked with different members from around the continent and met English citizens of other beliefs.

One thing I love and respect about my husband is that he is very knowledgeable of world history, politics, religion and perspectives.  In our Church, we believe that when the missionary assignment, (location), which comes from church headquarters arrives in the mail, that assignment was given by revelation and is God’s will for the individual missionary.

Though I did not know my husband when he was called to serve, I know that Heavenly Father wanted my husband to serve in England.  I know it was a calling from God and that it was revelation.  My husband related to the English people in a mature way, was respectful of their culture and possible religious differences, and in this way, he was able to connect with people.

He worked with many members who had already been baptized into The Church but had not been coming to services, or were struggling with their faith.

One treasured aspect for my husband of his mission was working with many Angolan members of The Church of Jesus Christ that lived in his mission in England.  He loved getting to know them and has told me they had strong faith in Jesus Christ.

I ask my husband to tell me stories about his mission all the time.  The love he has for the English people as a whole, and the individuals he met during his time there, shines through his eyes as he speaks.  It is so evident that he was keenly aware and interested in their individual life problems and concerns, that he loved them sincerely and that he strived to serve them.

But many missionaries in parts of the world have unique challenges on their missions.  In places such as Europe, some people are not as receptive to Christianity as other parts of the world.  I can only imagine the faith, humility and determination it must take to continue to love people, serve them and try to teach the Gospel of Jesus Christ after getting doors slammed in your face time after time. But that is the commitment of a missionary of Jesus Christ.  That is the sacrifice these missionaries and members are willing to give because of something they believe in.

As it says in 2 Corinthians 4:5 in the New Testament, missionaries serve not for themselves, but for The Savior, “For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake.”

Mormons Believe in Sacrifice

The Gospel of Jesus Christ teaches that sacrifice is God’s way and that it teaches us and brings forth blessings.

On lds.org under the Gospel Topic of “Sacrifice” it says,

To sacrifice is to give up something valuable or precious, often with the intent of accomplishing a greater purpose or goal. Sacrifice has always been a part of the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is a reminder of the great atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ for all who have lived or will live on earth. Before the ministry of Christ, animal sacrifices were offered for this purpose. After the Atonement of Christ, followers of Jesus Christ—by His direction—began to offer instead a “broken heart and contrite spirit” (3 Nephi 9:20), a willingness to repent of sins and a desire to follow Jesus Christ and align one’s life with His commandments.

We know from the Gospel that the greatest sacrifice we give to God is that of a “broken heart and contrite spirit” which is to say that we are humble enough and willing to accept correction, help, comfort and the power of Jesus Christ’s atonement and that we are willing to be obedient.

An example of sacrifice is of Shelby Orr, a 19-year-old member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who recently left on a Church mission to serve in the Visitor’s Center at the Mesa, Arizona temple.

It is always a sacrifice to choose to serve a mission, but Shelby had a some unique challenges, which could have persuaded her to stay home or delay her mission.

Shelby is a member of the Orr family, who owns the Orr Family Farm, a farm-themed amusement park and horse stables that attract thousands of visitors each year from Oklahoma and beyond.  Glenn Orr built it forty years ago, but when a powerful tornado hit Moore, Oklahoma, on 20 May 2013, the Orr Family Farm was decimated.

Mormonnewsroom.org reports,

Amid the chaos and cleanup, family member Shelby Orr is leaving for 18 months of service as a Mormon missionary — a tough thing to do in light of what needs to be accomplished before reopening the farm. Her family fully supports her decision to serve. “We have faith that the Lord knows exactly where we need to be at the right time, and this is the time for her to be [a missionary],” her mother says.

Church members strive to sacrifice and do hard things in spite of the challenges – because we believe that God knows what is right and that by moving forward and putting our faith in Him, we are following Jesus Christ.

Additional Resources:

Mormon Missionary Work

From the beginnings of time, God set up a plan to make sure everyone would understand what was true and what was not. He knew that if everyone was left to make his or her own choices on the subject, there would be chaos, because people would simply make what they wanted to be true fit into the gospel. To prevent this, He gave us prophets who were the only people authorized to receive official revelation for the Church. Each person was then responsible for praying for confirmation of that person’s role as the prophet. Once he knew who the prophet was, he could turn to the prophet for official information on God’s teachings.

There were times, of course, when there was no prophet. Those times were called apostasies and they happened when people rejected and endangered the prophets. God would take away prophecy for a while before allowing us to try again. When Jesus Christ began his ministry, He served as the prophet as well as the Lord. There was no need for another prophet when the Lord Himself was here. However, when he was killed, we again needed a prophet. Peter, as head of the apostles, received that responsibility. He received revelations such as the one that took the gospel out beyond the Jews to all the world. His revelations changed practices, even practices in place while Jesus was alive. The same revelation that made it acceptable to preach the gospel to the world was also used to end required circumcision, for instance.

Apostasy in ancient times

Most of the apostles were killed, however, and after a while, no one was appointed to take their places as they died. The world had largely rejected the prophets and so they lost the privilege of having one. Now the few valiant Saints who remained faithful were left on their own to decide what was true.

Even while the apostles remained, Saints were wandering off course. The apostles spent much of their time writing letters or preaching in an effort to stem incorrect interpretations of gospel doctrine. Fortunately, there was a source of official information, someone authorized to interpret scripture correctly. When the apostles were gone, there was no one to ask when disagreements arose. Each group of Saints made its own interpretations. If they disagreed, they simply broke off to form a new denomination.

Various councils in places like Nicaea codified the most popular doctrines, but they were chosen by ordinary people, not prophets and were made long after the apostles were gone. The Protestant reformers tried to codify doctrine as well, but they never considered themselves prophets and were simply doing the best they could, often under dangerous conditions. They, and their later followers, helped to bring about freedom of religion, a condition essential for a restoration to occur.

Any time God brought prophets back into the world, it was necessary to restore anything that had been lost while there were none. By the 1800s, so many truths taught in the Bible were lost or altered that small adjustments weren’t enough. There were millions of denominations, all teaching conflicting ideas even when they were part of the same larger faith group. Not only were there many variations of Protestantism, but there were even variations in groups within that division—for instance, there are many different flavors of Baptist faith.

Joseph Smith was baffled by all these choices. He understood instinctively that they could not all be true since they disagreed with each other on very critical subjects. He found that James 1:5 in the Bible instructed Christians to pray if they wanted to know what was true. Since that was obviously the only way he could really learn the truth, he did just that. He was told in a vision by God and Jesus Christ personally that none had the complete truth, so he wasn’t to join any of them. When he was grown God sent an angel to help prepare him to lead the restoration as a prophet.

Restored Knowledge

The Church he helped to organize is known as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Some people call it the Mormon Church, but Mormons ask that that name not be used. The Book of Mormon quote Jesus Christ in saying that the Church belongs to the person for whom it is named, and so it needs to be named after Jesus, not Mormon, who was a prophet. The word Mormon can be used to describe the Church’s members, however.

Mormon doctrine is restored knowledge, not new ideas. Many of the teachings of Jesus Christ and the apostles have been lost or altered. Many take small portions of the Bible out of context, giving them a meaning never intended. Of course, there are also many translations of the Bible, all of which can alter a meaning based on the word choices the translator makes. It is impossible to simply translate word for word without making choices. Over time, occasional verses were added or subtracted to meet a specific goal. Finally, of course, the Bible was not compiled until long after the apostles were gone and there were many documents. Compilers made choices about which to include and there is not, today, a single canon. Various faiths use different combinations of books in their Bibles and some books are lost completely. (See Mormonism and the Bible/Lost Scripture at FAIRLDS.org.)

Without a prophet, it is impossible for the gospel to travel on a correct path. Although the Bible is an essential resource revered by Mormons, we know it has been interpreted in many different ways, as evidenced by the many churches in existence today that interpret it differently. The gospel requires a prophet to clarify that which is not always clear.

Mormonism provides that prophet. The Bible says the Church must be built on a foundation of prophets and apostles and that God will do nothing except through prophets. He understood the essentialness of the prophet’s role, which is why He created prophets to begin with. Only with a prophet can a true restoration occur.

Lydia Maria Francis Child, an American abolitionist, women’s rights activist, Indian rights activist, novelist, and journalist, once said concerning fathers, “Blessed indeed is the man who hears many gentle voices call him father!” And, Mark Wahlberg, an American actor, producer, model, and former rapper (known as Marky Mark in his earlier years),once made the profound statement, “This is my most important role. If I fail at this, I fail at everything.”

So, what is a father? The dictionary defines the word “father” as “a man in relation to his natural child or children.” The word is derived from the Latin word “pater.” The actual word “pater” is used in English when referring to a person’s legal father. Another derivative of the Latin root “pater” is “paternal.” Therefore, when referring to a person’s “paternal” kindred, the reference is being made to those persons of whom his legal father (pater) is a direct offspring.

Fatherhood – A Wonderful, Eternal Principle

In a June 2002 message to fathers, the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (the second-highest presiding group within The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (inadvertently referred to as the Mormon Church by the media and others) exhorted.” The Lord’s plan of salvation requires that you pass through trials in this mortal life. Those trials seem to be greatest when you reach fatherhood, but be assured—fatherhood, in a sense, is an apprenticeship to godhood” (Father, Consider Your Ways, Ensign, June 2002, 12.)

Latter-day Saint fathers have been taught from their youth by leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ, as well as, through the lessons that they are continuously taught in their priesthood quorums, that they have a solemn sacred duty and responsibility, and an extremely important role to play as the patriarch of their homes. Ezra Taft Benson, the 13^th President and Prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ reminded fathers:

The sacred title of ‘father’ is shared with the Almighty. In the Church men are called and released. Did you ever hear of a mortal father being released?

“…Fatherhood is not a matter of station or wealth; it is a matter of desire, diligence, and determination to see one’s family exalted in the celestial kingdom. If that prize is lost, nothing else really matters” (Great Things Required of Their Fathers, Ensign, May 1981, 36)

In another address to fathers titled To the Fathers in Israel, President Benson further taught,

Fathers, yours is an eternal calling from which you are never released. Callings in the Church, as important as they are, by their very nature are only for a period of time, and then an appropriate release takes place. But a father’s calling is eternal, and its importance transcends time. It is a calling for both time and eternity” (To the Fathers in Israel, Ensign, Nov 1987, 48.)

And so, Latter-day Saint fathers are taught that being a father is not just a moral obligation that lasts until the end of mortality, but rather, they will continue to be fathers throughout eternity.

Mormon Fathers are “Normal” Fathers

The question may arise, “Are Mormon fathers different from “normal” fathers?” The short and long of that answer is that Mormon fathers are normal fathers.

A Mormon father loves his wife and children and does everything within his capability to ensure the well-being of his family. He goes to work every day and earns a paycheck that he uses to provide for his family’s temporal needs. He works in such vocations as construction worker, electrician, plumber, musician, actor, banker, lawyer, school teacher, and grocery store clerk, to name but a few. There are Mormon fathers who work on Wall Street and in prestigious offices in Washington, D.C., and there are those who work in small towns, inner cities, and suburbs. Nothing any different than a “normal” father does on a daily routine basis.

At the end of his day, a Mormon father is tired and sweaty and looks forward to going home to be with his family. His day does not end when he reaches the threshold of his home. Once at home, he assumes his responsibilities as husband and father by perhaps helping his wife to finish preparing dinner, or taking care of the children until dinner is ready. He helps with homework, bath time, makes sure that teeth are brushed, helps get pajamas on, reads bedtime stories, and presides over the family evening prayer.

Mormon Fathers strive to be Righteous Examples

In addition, a Mormon father is the priesthood leader of his home – the patriarch of his family. As such, he is the spiritual leader of the home, and realizes that he has an awesome responsibility, with the help of his companion, to ensure that the feet of his progeny are firmly grounded on gospel principles.

As the priesthood leader of the home, he may also be called upon at various times to administer priesthood blessings to his family. A Mormon father realizes that his is a sacred
responsibility – in which he has been given a charge, a stewardship from Heavenly Father – and that the proper way to execute that charge, to guard and protect that stewardship, is through righteous example. His ultimate goal is not so much to leave his progeny with material things when he departs his earthly life, but rather, a spiritual legacy that they will be able to continue to build upon as they build and strengthen their own testimonies of gospel truths, and strive for exaltation.

Kim Crenshaw Sorensen, a member of the Northridge Eighth Ward, Orem Utah Northridge Stake in a February 1995 article in the Ensign magazine titled A Latter-day Father’s Guidebook compared fathers in the Book of Mormon (which Latter-day Saints testify is Another Testament of Jesus Christ, a volume of scripture comparable to the Holy Bible) to the fathers of today:

We live in a day when many fathers are working at a fevered pace to build material legacies of homes, boats, and bank accounts for their children. Exemplary Book of Mormon fathers, on the other hand, show us the importance of leaving legacies that cannot be cankered by rust.

What more could we hope for than to leave our children the spiritual tools, the self-control, and the faith to become witnesses and disciples of Jesus Christ? Lehi and his sons Nephi and Jacob, Jacob and his son Enos, King Benjamin and his three sons, Mosiah and his four sons, Alma and his sons, Helaman and his sons Lehi and Nephi, and Mormon and his son Moroni all came to know the joys of discipleship and discipline.

The sons of righteous Book of Mormon fathers were grateful they had been taught in the “nurture and admonition of the Lord” (Enos 1:1), which led them to Jesus Christ” (A Latter-day Father’s Guidebook, Ensign, Feb 1995, 15.)

A Humble Prayer for All Fathers

The remarks given by Gordon B. Hinckley, the 15^th President and Prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, brings a fitting close to this treatise in the form of a humble prayer for all fathers. He once said,

God bless you, dear fathers. May He bless you with wisdom and judgment, with understanding, with self-discipline and self-control, with faith and kindness and love. And may He bless the sons and daughters who have come into your homes, that yours may be a fortifying, strengthening, guiding hand as they walk the treacherous path of life. As the years pass—and they will pass ever so quickly—may you know that “peace… which passeth all understanding” (Philippians 4:7) as you look upon your sons and daughters, who likewise have known that sacred and wonderful peace. Such is my humble prayer, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, amen (Great Shall Be the Peace of Thy Children, Ensign, Nov 2000, 50.)

Additional Resources:

The Fundamental Beliefs of Mormonism

The Importance of Marriage and Family to Mormons

In my BYU religion class this week, two things helped me to feel closer to Heavenly Father. The first is from Ether 3:14 in the Book of Mormon.  When Christ shows himself to the brother of Jared. Christ says,

“Behold, I am Jesus Christ. I am the Father and the Son. In me shall all mankind have life, and that eternally, even they who shall believe on my name; and they shall become my sons and my daughters.”

From this verse, it would appear that we believe in the Trinity. However, Christ is not saying that He is Heavenly Father. Rather, because He is to perform the Atonement, He becomes our Father. This is because to be father is to give new life. Through that Atonement, Christ becomes our Father because it is only through Him that we can have eternal life. We are also spiritually begotten of Him through repentance, which is also called a rebirth.

The second thing that has helped me feel closer to Heavenly Father is from Ether 6:5. This is after the Jaredites have entered their boats and are ready to travel to the promised land. It says, “It came to pass that the Lord God caused that there should be a furious wind blow upon the face of the waters.” The question is why did the wind need to be furious? Couldn’t it have been a strong wind, or even a light breeze? The answer to this second question is no, because when the winds of life are furious, that is when we grow the most. If we were never to go through trials, we would never grow to become more like Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. When life is all smooth, and we don’t have any problems, how often do we forget our Lord? Note these words from the wonderful hymn “Come Thou Fount,” “Prone to wander Lord I feel it, Prone to leave the God I love.” When we are going through trials, we more readily accept Christ as our Savior, and our Redeemer, and not just as another good man who lived on the earth.

By Ian Miller

Brigham Young University (BYU) is operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints, often mistakenly called the “Mormon Church.” As part of their undergraduate coursework, BYU students take multiple semesters of spiritually uplifting, stimulating religion classes.

Here, in this column, students enrolled in scripture study classes have shared their thoughts, insights, and reflections on the New Testament and gospel of Jesus Christ in the form of letters to someone they know.  In publishing these, we fulfill their desire to witness to all of us of the relevance, power, and beauty of the New Testament, and God’s plan of happiness for each of us.  We invite you to take a look at their epiphanies and discoveries as they delve into the scriptures. Let us know how these may help you in your own life. Share them with a friend.

Letter to my wife about giving up our will

I want to share an idea from my New Testament class this week. We were reading in Philippians 2 and noticed the importance of our will, especially in verses 12 through 17 or so. I have always found it interesting to notice that all we have that we can truly give to God, that He hasn’t directly given us, is our will. I have always felt humble about this idea and have loved attempting to accomplish it. Basically, the only way to do this is to place our will on the altar of God. Then, once our will has been given up, we can receive God’s will in our heart. I think this is the essence of the Atonement and our best way to become like Christ.

My professor told a story that really magnified this idea that I would like to share with you. It started with him telling us about a little old widow convert from his mission in Brazil. He said she lived down by the river on property that you don’t have to purchase, because no one is interested in a property that would flood a couple times every year. This woman’s house was tin-roofed and the slats that made up the walls left small gaps. In about a 10×8 foot house she had only a small bed, a stump for a chair, and a small table made of two sawhorses and three 2×6 pieces of wood.

After the bishop of the ward had been to her house, he felt badly for her and wanted to help her. He decided to start with one piece of furniture at a time. Over the pulpit during the next sacrament meeting, the bishop announced that a family that was in need of a small table and if anyone could spare one to come to his office after church. After church, he had a light knock on his door. It was the old woman. She said, “Bishop, I want to talk to you about your announcement today.” The bishop was afraid that she was offended. Instead, she told him that she thought all families should have a table to eat at and she had a very small basic table, but that she would give it to them until they could find a nicer one. The bishop then smiled and told her it was supposed to be for her. She was polite, but told him thanks anyways. She said he should spend his time helping those who really needed it.

I love this story, and think it very much explains the way we should give up our will. I hope I can do this and hope it brightens your day also.
Love you forever,

Ian

By. Kelly Smith

In Acts 27 we learn of Paul’s dangerous journey when he headed toward Rome. Verse twenty narrates their desperate situation: “And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was then taken away.” There will be times in our lives when there is a huge trial or storm upon us and we might not have any hope of it clearing. Dark clouds will gather all around us, and we might think that it will never get better, but the storms in life usually pass.

As the travelers were on this journey to Rome and were caught in the storm, they could turn to a prophet (Paul) for guidance. As we are in the storms of our lives we need to turn to our present-day prophet, who receives revelation from our Heavenly Father for us. We should always listen and obey the prophet. He can give us guidance and hope in the future when those dark clouds gather round us (and even when the sun is shining)! I haven’t been at a point in my life where I have experienced a complete loss of hope. I am grateful that my trials have consisted only of gray clouds. I don’t necessarily see the sun, but I still receive light. I sincerely hope that when a trial of completely black clouds comes my way, I will have the strength, courage, and testimony to push away the black clouds surrounding me to give way to the sunlight, and the Son!

The scriptures are an amazing way to bring light into our lives and come closer to our Savior, Jesus Christ. They aren’t just black words on a white page. They are words for us! We need to read the stories and apply them in our lives. We should walk away from studying the scriptures saying, “This is my story!” I need to be more diligent in this kind of study. I will find the words the prophets have written for me. The Word of God is for you and for me, it is our story! Anyone can read the scriptures, but you have to search them and ponder them to make them your story!

By Kelsey Rasband

BYU (Brigham Young University) is operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, often mistakenly called the “Mormon Church.”  As part of their undergraduate coursework, BYU students take multiple semesters of spiritually uplifting, stimulating religion classes.

In this series (see below), students enrolled in scripture study classes have shared their thoughts, insights, and reflections on the Book of Mormon in the form of letters to someone they know. We invite you to take a look at their epiphanies and discoveries as they delve into the scriptures. In publishing these, we fulfill their desire to speak to all of us of the relevance, power and beauty of the Book of Mormon, a second witness of Jesus Christ and complement to the Bible. The Book of Mormon includes the religious history of a group of Israelites who settled in ancient America.  (The names they use are those of prophets who taught the Book of Mormon peoples to look forward to the coming of Christ—Nephi, Lehi, Alma, Helaman, and other unfamiliar names.  We hope those names will become more familiar to you as you read their inspiring words and feel the relevance and divinity of their messages through these letters.)

Let us know if you’d like to receive your own digital copy of the Book of Mormon, and/or if these messages encourage and assist you spiritually as well.

I Stand All Amazed

Dear Sammy,

Today my Book of Mormon class was amazing!! We learned about the difference between the Church of Christ and the Gospel of Christ, because they are two different things. I mostly want to tell you about the Gospel of Christ though, because it might be of help to you and bring you good feelings. In talking about the Gospel of Christ we were in 3 Nephi 27:13-21. Verses 13-15 tell of Jesus’ role in the

Gospel. These verses talk about how before Jesus could lift us up, He had to be lifted up (on the cross). And before He could judge us, He had to be judged by men. Jesus was judged according to man’s works, not His works. But when Jesus was suffering for us in the Garden, He wasn’t judged on His own merits.

He was judged on my, Kelsey Rasband’s merits, and on Sammy Shelley’s merits. He was punished based on our actions, not His. He didn’t want the punishment to be on any of us, any of His brother’s and sisters. He took it all on Him. It is so amazing to me that Jesus loves me enough to do that. He loves me, imperfect, flawed Kelsey, and He loved me so much he was willing to pay the ultimate price. Jesus was all alone that night, and He was alone because of you and me. But He still suffered for us. I can’t even fathom this. I love my Savior so much, and I am so grateful for what He did. I find it difficult to even express in words how I feel.

I hope you understand what the Savior did for you, and I hope you know that He loves you. He paid the ultimate price for you, because he loves you unconditionally, no matter what you have done. He wants you to come unto Him. Sammy, I know He is real and loves us. Next time you sing “I Stand all Amazed”, think of this and think of Him.

If you are reading this post and have any questions or comments, I would be happy to hear from you.

M-O-M. The three letter word with an ever so important meaning. What could it stand for? Perhaps a proper acronym for M.O.M would be Magnificently Outstanding Mother. With Mother’s Day fast approaching it has been a reflective time for me—especially because this will be my first Mother’s Day as a M.O.M. Something I have been waiting for, well, since before I was born.

I am a dedicated member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (sometimes mistakenly called the “Mormon Church”) and as such it is my witness that every man and woman, girl and boy, lived before we came here to earth with the knowledge that we can become like our Heavenly Father—including the great blessing that one day we would be able to have children of our own. We were each in the presence of our Heavenly Father when He presented His glorious plan of salvation. We embraced His every word. We respected, loved, and honored Him–and as such we rejoiced and even “shouted for joy” (Holy Bible: Job 38:7) in the plan that would enable us to be parents. After all, what child doesn’t want to grow up to be just like Mom and Dad? So now, here I am with a precious little boy who was born with so much potential–and it is my job to know how to raise Him. Except I have one little problem… I am clueless! Thank goodness I have truly Magnificently Outstanding Mothers whom I can look up to and learn from.

Learning from Women of the Bible

There are many women from the Bible who can teach us how to be great M.O.M.’s and through whom we can grasp the sacredness of motherhood. For example, how can we apply the lessons of Jochebed, the mother of Moses, who had full trust in God as she courageously put her baby in a basket in the river in order to save him from Pharaoh (Exodus 2:1–9; 3:1–10; 6:20)? What can we do to make our homes like that of Eunice’s, who taught her son Timothy from the Holy Scriptures since he was a child—enabling him to be “wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 3:14-15)? Or what can we learn of patience in the Lord’s timing by Elisabeth, mother of John the Baptist (Luke 1:7), and Sarah, mother of Isaac (Genesis 18) who both were “well stricken” in years before they were able to bare children? Of course there are many more mothers from the Bible that we can learn from. But let’s, for just a moment, focus on Eve, who was called the “mother of all living” before she ever carried a child.

What can we learn from Mother Eve?

Eve is not just some fictitious character. She was real. She is real. She was chosen and foreordained (chosen before her mortal life), to come to the earth as the “mother of all living” (Genesis 3:20). Indeed she is special. Mormons believe that Eve is a woman to be revered and honored in the highest regard. The late President James E. Faust (1st Counselor in the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ) said this of Mother Eve:

We all owe a great debt of gratitude to Eve. In the Garden of Eden, she and Adam were instructed not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. However, they were also reminded, “Thou mayest choose for thyself.”The choice was really between a continuation of their comfortable existence in Eden, where they would never progress, or a momentous exit into mortality with its opposites: pain, trials, and physical death in contrast to joy, growth, and the potential for eternal life. In contemplating this choice, we are told, “And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, … and a tree to be desired to make her wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and also gave unto her husband with her, and he did eat.”  And thus began their earthly probation and parenthood.

After the choice was made, Adam voiced this grateful expression: “Blessed be the name of God, for because of my transgression my eyes are opened, and in this life I shall have joy, and again in the flesh I shall see God.”   

Eve made an even greater statement of visionary wisdom after leaving the Garden of Eden: “Were it not for our transgression we never should have had seed, and never should have known good and evil, and the joy of our redemption, and the eternal life which God giveth unto all the obedient.” If it hadn’t been for Eve, none of us would be here (“What It Means to be a Daughter of God,” Ensign, Nov. 1999).

What would it be like to be living in a state of complete innocence? Nothing to worry about? No pains, illnesses, sorrows? But yet, she knew there was more to life than just existing in a state of bliss. She knew she had to press forward with a steadfast faith in Jesus Christ (2 Nephi 31:20), putting herself, Adam, and all of her posterity (all of us!) in a situation that would inevitably cause suffering. But why? We learn the invaluable lesson from a scripture verse in the Book of Mormon, “And they would have had no children; wherefore they would have remained in a state of innocence, having no joy, for they knew no misery; doing no good, for they knew no sin (see 2 Nephi 2:23.)”  Eve intentionally chose to partake of the fruit so that we could live, experience, grow, develop, and enjoy all of the blessings that our Heavenly Father desires to bestow upon us. She chose the “hard” route because she knew that it would bring true and lasting joy for all of her posterity. What a glorious woman to honor on Mother’s Day.

Learning from my own M.O.M.

Each Mother’s Day I am blessed to reflect on the lessons I have learned from my own M.O.M. She is successful in every aspect of her life—but her highest greatest successes come from being a disciple of Jesus Christ, a wife, and a mother.

I look at her in awe as I realize the hard choices she made in order to be the best mother that she could be, and in so doing enable her posterity to grow and develop in the way the Lord desired. One of the many hard choices she made was that as a young mother she was offered a position in the world-wide multi-billion dollar company she worked for to be a vice president over her entire department. Needless to say, her time at home would have been diminished substantially. I will eternally be grateful that she chose the road less traveled. She humbly chose to keep her position that allowed her to be at home more often so that she could mother us children. She willingly chose the life that was less “glamorous” according to the standards of the world. She courageously chose not to have a paycheck that would allow ritzy cars, fancy dining, etc. She triumphantly chose a lifestyle that would allow her to fulfill her sacred responsibility as a wife and mother. The money she would have earned during those years would have come and gone, but the memories we made will last forever.

I can say like the young Stripling Warriors from the Book of Mormon, who fought for everything that is holy, that I “do not doubt because [my mother] knew it” (Alma 56:48).

My role as a mother is sacred

Indeed this Mother’s Day, my first as a M.O.M., will be a special one for me. I look at my precious son and gaze into the future with a deep desire to do what is right. I have chosen to give my life to teach and rear him in righteousness. I know that he, like every other baby born into mortality, is a child of God—and I will do my part to teach him what that means. I am ever so grateful that I can look towards the past and observe the now in order that I might be able to be the M.O.M. that my own children desperately need me to be.

For those of you who have lost your mothers, my heart aches for you on this lonely day. Lift your chin up and trust in God that you will see her again. And to those of you who so desperately desire to be mothers but have not yet had the opportunity, take solace from the words of a Mormon apostle who said, “As prophets have repeatedly taught from this pulpit, ultimately “no blessing shall be withheld” from the faithful, even if those blessings do not come immediately” (Jeffrey R. Holland, “Because She is a Mother,” Ensign, May 1997).

I know these things to be true and invite you to learn more about the sacredness of motherhood, fatherhood, and how families can be together forever by meeting with Mormon missionaries and by studying the scriptures. I witness that we do have a loving Heavenly Father who “gave His only Begotten Son” (John 3:16), Jesus Christ, to suffer for our sins and sorrows that we might be made clean and pure as to be worthy to inherit those eternal blessings, including that of an eternal family.

by Jenica Ward

BYU (Brigham Young University) is operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, often mistakenly called the “Mormon Church.” As part of their undergraduate coursework, BYU students take multiple semesters of spiritually uplifting, stimulating religion classes.

In this series (see below), students enrolled in scripture study classes have shared their thoughts, insights, and reflections on the Book of Mormon in the form of letters to someone they know. We invite you to take a look at their epiphanies and discoveries as they delve into the scriptures.

Mormon Thoughts: “Letter to my Husband”

Hi Sweetheart!

I love when I find scriptures that apply directly to our marriage. One scripture that made me think of us lately is in 3 Nephi 10:9-10. It’s when all the terrible destruction of the wicked is coming to a close, and the three days of darkness is starting to disperse. It says:

“…And it was in the morning, and the darkness dispersed from off the face of the land, and the earth did cease to tremble, and the rocks did cease to rend, and the dreadful groanings did cease, and all the tumultuous noises did pass away. And the earth did cleave together again, that it stood.”

Christ visited the Nephites after His resurrection.

So how does this apply to us you ask? Well I was thinking how the darkness, the trembling, the fallingrocks, and tumultuous noises could all represent the trials and challenges that we might face in our marriage or family in the future. I’m not trying to be a downer, but I would bet that at some time or another, we will face a trial together that will physically or spiritually shake us. When that time comes, I want to remember these verses in 3 Nephi.

My favorite phrase in these scriptures is when it says “and the earth did cleave together again, that it STOOD.” I am a firm believer that we can overcome any trial or challenge we will face if we will hold to each other and to the Lord. Just like all the physical devastation, our trials won’t last forever. Eventually they will end, and if we have remained faithful we will be able to cleave together and stand. I know that trials—even though they may be extremely difficult or frustrating—can bind people close together if they choose to let them. I know this because I have watched my family grow together as we have gone through difficult trials. I remember when my dad’s dad, Grandpa Mike, was slowly dying in the hospital. I have never seen my dad so emotional and sad. But I noticed how supportive, caring and loving my mom was toward my dad. I watched them grow together even though they were going through a difficult trial. I know that we can continue to grow closer to each other as a couple as we travel through life together, whether in good or hard times. Thank you for choosing to stand by me forever.

I love you,

Jenica

If any who might be reading this letter have questions or comments, I would be happy to hear from you.

In Florence, Italy they have a lovely way of celebrating women.  On International Women’s Day on March 8th, Florentine men walk the streets with little yellow flowers in hand to gift to the women in the city.

I wasn’t aware that Women’s Day was celebrated before I studied in Florence.  The morning of March 8th that year, I bounded down the stairs in my apartment next to the Sante Croce Cathedral along the Arno River.   I whipped out into the sunshine, happy to be in Florence.

I wandered a little way down the cobblestone street and unlocked my “be-basketed” cruiser bike like I did every morning. I jumped on in full pedal mode. The side street my apartment was on was never very busy, so I was surprised when an older Italian man in a plaid jacket and newsboy cap motioned for me to stop.

He said, “Happy Women’s Day” in Italian and handed me a lovely fresh yellow flower.  My Italian was pretty rusty, so I was completely baffled by this sweet gesture of kindness.

I soon found out that Florentines observe Women’s Day by handing out little gifts, flowers, and watching the kids, so women can go out with their friends that evening.

Women are so special and important to the world.  I have always felt a keen sisterhood with all human beings of the female gender.   Women’s rights and the power women can wield have also been very important to me, even from a very young age.

When I worked at the United Nations headquarters in New York, I had the opportunity to learn even more about women around the world.  I learned more about worldwide challenges for women such as lack of access to water, poverty, lack of education, human trafficking and sexual violence.

Different avenues of women empowerment such as education and micro-credit loans are some of the solutions I was able to study and participate in.

But there is another issue that plagues the women of this earth.  It is just as dangerous as poverty and hunger — the loss of virtue.

Many ignore the slow decay that is the sexualization of women in society.  I would sadly propose that most in the world don’t think immorality and objectifying women are a problem.

And it’s starting early.  IN 2011, Deseret News published an investigative series on the sexual objectification of women and girls.  In one 2011 article, “The End of Innocence, the Cost of Sexualizing Kids”, Deseret News reported some shocking finds.

Sexualization, experts say, devalues accomplishment, intelligence and character. Pope John Paul II once said “the problem with pornography is not that it shows too much of a person, but that it shows far too little.” The same can be said when people are valued only for sex appeal, says Jason Evert, a San Diego-based author and motivational speaker, who addresses thousands of teens each year.

Steve Thomsen, communication professor at Brigham Young University said, “At a “very young age, sexuality becomes a component of their self-concept. That’s what they see. They discover relationships with members of the opposite sex at younger ages. Music has content that pushes the envelope. With a combination of a lot of factors, children at 10 or 11 now think the way someone two generations ago reached at 19 or so.”

Poor body image and appearance obsession is also a problem with women and girls.  Deseret News reports:

The sexualization of girls is happening at a younger and younger age as children, even toddlers, are bombarded with a plethora of adult influences and perceptions, studies say.

Eighty percent of 10-year-old girls in the U.S. report they have been on a diet, according to a recent study, “Eating Disorders Today — Not Just a Girl Thing.” The study also reported the No. 1 wish for girls from the ages 11-17 is to be thinner.

It’s cliché, but true – the media vaults these ideas further at a frenzied pace.  The plague of pornography and non-stop sexual images that are presented in the mall, on the TV, in music and video games starts to chip away at young brains and their idea of self sinks lower and lower.

…Jennfier Stevens Aubrey, University of Missouri professor, conducted…studies have shown that women who tend to objectify themselves are more likely to have eating disorders, have low sexual and self esteem, be sexual risk takers and have depression. The same is not true for men. Men are not only judged by their looks, but by things like their intelligence, assertiveness and accomplishments.

The more media people consume, the more likely they are to treat women and girls or themselves as an object “The media increases self-objectification for women. Girls begin to believe they are for someone else’s pleasure. It’s very dehumanizing.

And I think that word, “de-humanizing”, is the key.  Sadly, genocide has been committed so many times throughout history.  In Nazi Germany, Hitler promoted his campaign and the slaughter of Jews, by propaganda – the media.   He was able to convince people that Jews, Gypsies, mentally challenged people and others were less than human.   He stripped them of their place as persons, and in doing so, was able to perform unfathomable atrocities.

It’s hard to believe that such brutality existed in our “evolved” society just 73 years ago.  And yet we only need to look as far back as the early 90’s for examples of ethnic cleansing in Eastern Europe.   Genocide and constant, deplorable violence on women have sadly been going on and still goes on in many countries in Africa.

So what is the answer to all this?  How can we solve such a massive problem?   I believe it begins in the home.

It is so unfortunate that no matter how diligent parents are; in this world there is only so much they can do to prevent exposure of these destructive ideas to their children.  But parents can control what is taught in their own home.

I am not yet a Mom, but often think about how I will tackle these problems one day with my children.   My own Mother and sister-in-laws are wonderful examples of virtue and teaching virtue.

It saddens me when I see a mother who might promote some of the poisonous, sexualizing ideas herself.  I had many friends in high school and college whose mothers emphasized so much on “looking hot,” being popular, being cute and having boyfriends.   These goals seemed to trump being a good friend, grades, or planning seriously for the future.  It was shocking to me how many of my friends throughout the years had a mother who emphasized so much having a perfect body.

Once in college one of our guy friends came over to the apartment I shared with a few roommates.  He told us he had just asked a girl out and that they had gone swimming on the first date.  I was floored when my roommate’s immediate response to this information was:

“That was smart to take her swimming on the first date, so you check out her body and see if you want to keep dating her.”

I was even more offended when the guy nodded along, saying that was a really good point.  It was unbelievable to me that one woman would so blatantly and methodically objectify a one of my gender.  It was so abhorrent to me that the main value of this date was how her body looks in fewer clothes.   Her intelligence, hobbies, how good of a person she was or how well she got along with this guy, were never even considered.  I couldn’t understand how my roommate instantly turned this peer into a hunk of meat.

When I later met my roommate’s mother, I could understand why she would think like that.  Her mother was extremely body-conscious and emphasized the ideal body constantly.

To fight the de-humanizing of women, we start in our homes.  Whenever I have been asked if I am a feminist, I reply, “Yes.  And that is why I belong to The Church of Jesus Christ.”  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, (often mistakenly called the Mormon Church), is a safe haven and champion of womanhood.

Elaine S. Dalton, recently released Young Women’s General President of the Church of Jesus Christ, spoke about the virtue of women:

Of women and mothers, President Gordon B. Hinckley once said:

“We must never lose sight of the strength of the women. … It is mothers who most directly affect the lives of their children. … It is mothers who nurture them and bring them up in the ways of the Lord. Their influence is paramount. …”

So how do a mother and a father instill in their daughter the ennobling and eternal truth that she is a daughter of God? How do we help her step out of the world and step into the kingdom of God?

…Young women need mothers and mentors who exemplify virtuous womanhood. Mothers, your relationship with your daughter is of paramount importance, and so is your example. How you love and honor her father, his priesthood, and his divine role will be reflected and perhaps amplified in your daughter’s attitudes and behavior.

If we teach virtue to our children and practice it ourselves, our families, communities, and the world can be changed for the good.  Virtue means purity, integrity, kindness, goodness and strength.  Sister Dalton gave us this call:

Again I renew the call for a return to virtue. Virtue is the strength and power of daughters of God. What would the world be like if virtue—a pattern of thought and behavior based on high moral standards, including chastity—were reinstated in our society as a most highly prized value? If immorality, pornography, and abuse decreased, would there be fewer broken marriages, broken lives, and broken hearts? Would media ennoble and enable rather than objectify and degrade God’s precious daughters? If all humanity really understood the importance of the statement “We are daughters of our Heavenly Father,” how would women be regarded and treated?

We may not always be able to choose the influences we are exposed to, but we can choose how we react to destructive ideas and how we teach our children what is right. I am following Sister Dalton’s call and re-evaluating how I can be more virtuous.  Won’t you join me?

Additional Resource:

Leaders and Organization of the Church of Jesus Christ

Mormon Message about Women

Sexualizing Young Girls