So… You’re pretty religious(?)

Posted on May 12, 2012 by Guest Blogger

By Britta Hanson

It’s more a statement of fact than a question.  If I had a dollar for every time I heard this particular statement, well, I could at least buy myself a really nice dinner.  However, I never tire of the opportunity these moments afford me to pause and reflect on the life I have chosen as a disciple of Christ and as a Mormon.

As a grad student, time is an especially precious resource.  Given my tight schedule, the amount of time I dedicate each week to “religious” activities may appear to be borderline insane.  Allow me to illustrate:  In addition to weekly Sunday worship services, which last three hours, I generally attend at least one meeting per week for my church assignment.  Sometimes this assignment requires more time during the week, ranging from a few minutes to a few hours.  There are also activities every Monday evening and the occasional additional activity during the week.  Every Wednesday night there are classes which teach the scriptures, and I try to set aside time each day to study the Word of God.  It is also my privilege and responsibility to visit two of the women in my congregation each month to see to their spiritual and emotional needs.  Upon hearing this, most people, myself included, ask an important question: Why?

Each week is a complex balancing act between the religious, the social, and the scholarly.  At times, I feel the pieces of my life are spinning out of control and falling down around me.  Usually when I am brought to the brink of disaster, I realize that I have been neglecting some aspect of my “religious” life.  Maybe it’s been a day or two since I opened the scriptures.  Perhaps I haven’t been fulfilling my church assignment as fully as I could.  In these moments of clarity, the why is always answered.

While some draw a line between spirituality and religiosity, I have found in my life there is a cyclical relationship between the two.  As I attend to the various “religious” activities each week, they serve to constantly remind me of the things which matter most: Christ, my relationship with Him, and the people He has put in my life.  Being vitally involved in my church feeds my soul, it provides a quiet strength in me as I go about my various activities.  As I am consistently reminded of Christ and His love, my faith becomes the anchor of my life.  The dozens of moving parts I scramble for each week begin to revolve around Him, and there is order.

The ultimate answer to the why is that by striving to do all of these things, I find an assurance and a joy in my life that I have not found by doing anything else.  So yeah… I am pretty religious.

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The Priesthood

Posted on April 22, 2012 by Jackson

For those who are not of our faith, there is an important aspect of our church that isn’t always brought across in regular religion conversation; this is the Priesthood. Hopefully throughout this message, I will be able to define and explain this aspect clearly for those who don’t understand this doctrine fully. The Priesthood is the authority given to man by God to act in His name. The Priesthood is the power to serve, protect and assist those in need. God gave the priesthood to his twelve apostles during his sojourn on the earth. This power still exists today; it’s real and effects many people today. The Priesthood is God’s authority, so it is very powerful. The Priesthood has the power to heal the wounded, administer sacred ordinances (Sacrament, Baptism, Confirmation etc.) and even calm the troubled soul. The Priesthood is open to anyone who needs help or is afflicted in any way. There are many offices in the priesthood; they all hold different powers and duties.

The Priesthood isn’t a fun and jolly power to be used when one feels it would be fun. The priesthood is only to be used for God’s purposes and intent. When holders of this sacred power feel impressed to use it for a good and righteous cause, the power can truly be administered to the cause. There are specific duties for each office, or level of the priesthood. One must fulfill these duties in order to hold this power worthily. It is different to just hold the priesthood office, than to be able to administer the power which it holds. One must be exercising this power worthily and for a good cause for the spirit to confirm that the power may be executed.

The Priesthood is sacred, and can only be held by worthy members. Only men hold the Priesthood. We are not sure why this is the case, but in no way does this mean that women in the church wouldn’t be worthy or capable of completing its duties. Priesthood holders must be living their lives worthy of God; staying clean from any evil. They don’t have to be perfect because nobody is, but a very good person.

God’s power is sacred and dominant. It blesses the lives of all those who hold it and receive it’s influence. The Priesthood is a gift and a blessing whose power can bless anyone humble enough to receive it.

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Guest Blogger Annie: Receiving Answers through the Holy Ghost

Posted on April 8, 2012 by Daniel

The evidence of God’s love for his children is abundant. As a loving father, one thing that is very important to him is communicating with his children, which he does by means of the Holy Ghost. After an individual is baptized into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, they receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost. This means that, as we keep ourselves worthy, we can enjoy the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost. Even those who have not been baptized can feel the influence of this Spirit. This is especially important if you are learning about the gospel, because it means you can ask God questions and he is able to literally answer you. God and Jesus Christ both have physical bodies, just like us. Since the third member of the Godhead, the Holy Ghost, has no physical body, he is able to speak to us through thoughts, feelings, and promptings. Getting in touch with the Holy Ghost is a delicate process. In order to create a relationship with the Holy Ghost, you must behave in a way that invites his presence. God gave us many commandments to help us to do this. Abstaining from alcohol and drugs keeps our minds clear, sharp, and more able to receive communication. Watching movies that do not contain violence, distasteful language, etc. keeps our thoughts in a good place. Following commandments not only keeps us out of situations that are uninviting to the Spirit, but also our obedience shows Heavenly Father that we are responsible and ready to be instructed.

This all must seem a bit hard to swallow—that God can speak to people, and that he can even speak to you. It is a beautiful truth, and fortunately, one that can be easily tested. Once you learn how to access the power of the Holy Ghost, your many questions and doubts about gospel principles, church standards, and our beliefs will begin to come to light. The Holy Ghost will be one of your most important tools in the learning process. So whatare some ways to find out whether the Holy Ghost actually works? Let’s run an experiment.

First, following the commandments is a good place to start. Try to reduce negative influences in your life in order to create a spiritually conducive environment in your heart. Next, start praying to God; have sincere conversations with him in which you tell him your thoughts about the gospel, ask for help to understand the concepts that confuse you, and ask him questions about the concepts you don’t believe. Specifically ask him for help to feel the Spirit. Ask him to help you understand the language of the Spirit, to teach you what the Spirit feels like.

Moroni was a prophet and the final record-keeper of the Book of Mormon, about six hundred years ago. In his conclusion of the record, he gives this invitation and promise: if you read, ponder, and then “ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith… [God] will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost. And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things” (Moroni 10:4-5).

If you do not immediately feel that your questions have been answered, don’t worry. Heavenly Father teaches us patience by working on his own timetable. Additionally, the Spirit often speaks to us through the words of prophets—both modern day prophets and those from the scriptures. If you diligently keep listening, reading, studying, and pondering, you will receive an answer, just like Moroni promised.

I know that the Holy Ghost is a real being, and that he has the power to communicate to us the truths of God.  I have learned this for myself through hard work and patience. Though my connection with the Holy Ghost is not perfect, it is one of my favorite relationships. He has the ability to comfort me in times of pain. He helps me learn, both spiritually and academically, beyond my natural abilities. He guides me as I prayerfully make decisions. His influence makes me a better person, more loving, more understanding, and more willing to serve others. He is a dear friend, and I encourage you to prayerfully invite him into your life.

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Easter’s Celebration

Posted on April 7, 2012 by Daniel

Easter is around the corner and my wife and I discussed what traditions we might start as a new family.  As a kid we decorated Easter eggs and hunted for candy baskets.  My mother also prepared a special dinner.  We regularly attended church on Sundays and Easter meetings, though not much different from other Sunday services, often focused on the Resurrection of the Savior, a doctrine that Mormons affirm to be of prime importance.  This Easter the Church leadership has commissioned a special Easter video focusing on the death and resurrection of the Savior.  The video is well done and depicts events as recorded in the New Testament of the Bible.  Easter is a great reminder of the reason of the hope that is in us.

My wife and I will probably still do Easter baskets this year because we like chocolate, but the real celebration will be the quiet reflection on the gift of God, even his son Jesus Christ. I’m grateful for the knowledge of God’s eternal plan for the world because it provides an anchor for me and gives me courage and hope that impacts my life in so many ways.

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Prayers & Answers

Posted on March 30, 2012 by R Davis

Somebody once shared the following story with me about a friend of his who was walking in central park in New York City, “Above the sounds of city life he heard the song of a bird. He stopped and listened. Those with him had not heard it. He looked around. No one else had noticed it. It bothered him that everyone should miss something so beautiful. So he took a coin from his pocket and flipped it into the air. It struck the pavement with a ring no louder than the song of the bird. Everyone turned: they could hear that! It is difficult to separate from all the sounds of city traffic the song of a bird, but you can hear it. You can hear it plainly if you train yourself to listen for it.” That phrase, ‘you can hear it if you train yourself to listen for it’ is what we need to do. We need to train ourselves to understand how God talks to us.

I wanted to know if the Book of Mormon was true so I decided that I would read it and search it. I then prayed to see if it were true. I did not feel I received an answer to my prayer. I read, studied, and prayed more. Still I felt no answer was coming. After several months I decided to study something else. I studied how God speaks to man through the Spirit. After learning about the Spirit, I again brought my request to the Lord and received an answer. I had not ‘received’ an answer before because I had not trained myself to hear ‘the bird’. Once I learned how the bird or the Spirit worked then I could hear and understand it.

“There are so many of us who go through life and seldom, if ever, hear that voice of inspiration, because ‘the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned’ (1 Cor. 2:14).”

I was the natural man and had to learn the things of the Spirit. The Lord taught me how to hear the bird. Sometimes I hear the bird but I do not understand what he is singing. I am still the natural man and need to work harder to understand what God is trying to tell me. The scriptures tell us that we will be taught by the Spirit, precept upon precept, line upon line, here a little and there a little. I know that the Lord will continue to teach me as long as I have a true desire to learn and understand what He wants me to know and do.

The Spirit plays such an important role when we pray. We pray and ask for help in our lives but seldom do we sit and try to hear the bird and what he is singing. When we pray we need to listen as we would at any other time. The Lord will teach us through the Spirit but only when we are willing to learn and be taught. I want to be taught and will continue to train myself to listen to the Spirit as I pray and search for answers. Before I made this post, I shared it with a friend who recommended I write a future post about ‘what I’ve heard so far from the bird’. In a few weeks I will put together a few experiences and share them with you. For now, please share your experiences with answers to prayers. How has God answered your prayers?

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What Can I Get From Scripture Study?

Posted on March 21, 2012 by Jodi

I sometimes find myself plodding through the scriptures, reading because I know it is good for me, but not sure I am getting much out of it on those days where I am just trying to check it off of my list. And then there are days when I really dedicate my attention- even if it’s for five minutes or one chapter- and I truly remember why I read them.

It’s amazing how applicable the content is when I read with the intent of finding something that can help me that day, no matter what is happening in my life. Though the authors of the different books of scripture lived so long ago, I find that the experiences they had and feelings they felt are not so different from my own today. I find inspiration in reading about how they were able to work through various conflicts, giving me answers about how to solve the problems in my own life. There are always lessons to be learned from the past. Just as I keep a journal today in hopes that my posterity may benefit from it, these scriptures are a journal from the past speaking and testifying to us today. Because I believe that God inspired the writings of the scriptures, I understand how the authors were able to know the struggles we would face today- globally and personally. What a great guiding force to help us in these times of need!

I will leave you with a quote from Elder Richard G. Scott, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles:
“Scriptures are like packets of light that illuminate our minds and give place to guidance and inspiration from on high. They can become the key to open the channel to communion with our Father in Heaven and His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ.”

You can read the talk by Elder Scott titled “The Power of Scripture” in its entirety HERE

You can also read the scriptures HERE

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