Why I Love The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints!

Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about my faith— what I believe, and why I believe it, and reflecting on my membership in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. And recently I just have this burning desire to share about why I love being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and to shout it from the rooftops! I guess blogging is sort of a way of doing that, right?

There are just so many ways my family and I have been blessed by our membership in the restored Church of Jesus Christ. And I just wish that everyone in the world could come to know the joy I’ve found from being a part of it. So I’m gonna share! (This might end up being a super long post, because I’ve got so much bubbling up inside me right now of things to say!)

Here are a few reasons why I love The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints:

Empowers me as a parent!

I love being in a home-centered church, with their emphasis on parents being the primary gospel teachers to their children, which I agree with whole-heartedly. As a parent, God has entrusted these children to my care; I am the one who knows them best, and thus I have the special ability to tutor and to nurture them in the gospel most effectively, in a way suited best to their needs. I love that it’s all home-centered, but church-supported; everything we do at church is meant to strengthen and support what parents are teaching in the home. The church really honors the role of parents.

I love that the church empowers me as a parent, particularly through it’s amazing new curriculum, “Come, Follow Me.” I believe that it is truly inspired and heaven sent. And it just came out this year!

I’m continuously impressed with the quality of the curriculum, the thought-provoking questions and topics, and how inspiring and edifying it is in the way it was designed. This year it’s all been focused on an in-depth study of the New Testament. It’s been a wonderful journey, and a blessing to our family. Next year will be focusing on the Book of Mormon, and I’m so excited!

As I’ve gone through this curriculum, I truly do feel more empowered to teach the gospel to my children. I feel like it empowers me with tools to combat the advances of the adversary in these turbulent times we live in, where evil is portrayed as good and good, evil. And where so much of society is embracing worldly philosophies and giving in to the culture of declining morals. It can be easy to give in to a sense of pessimism about the state of our world, and to have less hope about raising faithful, resilient children in this kind of toxic environment. But this new curriculum really brightens my hope for the future of my family, and gives me confidence as I seek to raise my children to withstand the evil that surrounds them. It’s like putting on the armor of God; it equips me to be able to deal with anything life throws at me and my family.

Though I’m still learning the art of effectively implementing it in my home, I’ve already seen glimpses of how “Come, Follow Me” is blessing my family thus far, and I’m really looking forward to see how the next few years unfold.

The People

I love that this is a worldwide church, which means there is a lot of diversity. I love how it doesn’t matter where in the world I go to church; wherever you go, it’s the same. Nice, good, down-to-earth people with the same vision and goals. All at different levels/points on the path of discipleship. No we’re not perfect. But we’re seeking to be saints. We view the church as a hospital; we all need healing and help. We all have the common goal to become more Christ-like. I love how we call each other “brother” and “sister” as a reminder that we are children of our Heavenly Father. Through the church, I’ve been able to rub shoulders with so many amazing people- individuals and families who are bright, gifted, full of light and goodness, letting their light shine. It is inspiring to see.

Most of all, I just like belonging to a worldwide network of people who share my same standards and perspective, who I can relate with on multiple levels. I believe there is great power in gathering with fellow disciples of Jesus Christ who are also trying to be strong, in a world that is often pulling us in the other direction.

Wonderful resources

I love all the great resources that the church puts out!

The church’s website, ChurchofJesusChrist.org, is a treasure trove of great stuff. Countless articles, videos, and resources on all sorts of niche topics, such as goal-setting, family history helps, parenting helps, provident living, overcoming challenges, mental health, religious freedom, helping refugees, serving in your community, and even helps for learning different languages. Tons of inspirational videos, helpful apps, I could go on and on. I’ve also heard amazing things about the church’s 12-step addiction recovery program. Seriously, everyone I know who has gone through the program absolutely swears by it and can’t say enough good about it. And I love how the church has a wonderful welfare program, along with self-reliance and employment courses. And it’s all free! To anyone, member or not.

I love the church magazines- the Friend (for kids), The New Era (for teens), and Ensign (for adults). I often let my kids listen to stories from the Friend at night. They teach and reinforce great moral values, applied to circumstances that children can relate to.

And the music! I love the hymns and children’s songs. Also, look up EFY and FSY music- it’s great. And of course, everyone’s heard of the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square. They’re currently in the process of compiling an updated version of our hymnal, which will include a lot of new songs, which I’m super excited about. I especially appreciate how all the music shows great reverence in spirit/attitude towards and about the Savior Jesus Christ.

The church also has a wonderfully inspired Seminary program for youth. I went through it as a teenager, and I’m so grateful for the way it strengthened and fortified my testimony during my high school years.

Also, I’m so excited about the great Children and Youth program (also new, as of this coming year). I’m honestly a little jealous of my kids and the things that they will get to participate in. Church programs just keep getting better and better. It’s an exciting time to be a member of the Restored Church of Jesus Christ!

Lay members do everything

Congregations have no paid clergy. This includes the bishop (pastor), organist, priests, church speakers, youth & children leaders– they all are regular members freely volunteering their time and energy. It’s wonderful!

Brief run-down of how “church callings” work: it’s all done by inspiration. Church leaders seek to know God’s will through prayer, and receive guidance and inspiration on who to place in certain callings. And callings are transient, so that most people get opportunities to serve in many different capacities over the period of their life. Leaders are called to serve, not to be served, and it’s a lot of work. There is no lobbying or voting people into office. You don’t seek to be appointed as a bishop or any other ‘high-status’ calling (and if you did, you’d likely not be qualified, as one of the requirements is humility). Also, one calling is not thought of as being better or higher than another. When you get a calling with greater responsibilities, it’s not thought of as ‘moving your way up the ladder’; instead, everyone just ‘moves around’. You lift where you stand; everyone’s part is important. A former bishop may get called to serve as a nursery teacher after his release. It’s all the same. You work to build up God’s kingdom where you’ve been called.

I love it because it means that everyone can contribute and participate in a variety of ways. And we can all learn from each other’s insights and experiences.

Growth & Unity. This set-up provides the perfect laboratory for developing talents and skills. But not only is it a huge growing opportunity for everyone involved, but I feel like it’s also a great unifier. The teacher is not esteemed as greater than the student. We are all a work in progress. We all have a common goal- to come to a knowledge of Jesus Christ and His gospel, and to lift and help and support each other as we make and keep sacred covenants with God.

Efficiency. When I donate to the church’s humanitarian fund, I know that 100% of the proceeds will go to people in need, because it’s run by volunteers. I love knowing that ‘making a profit’ isn’t the motive in church programs and initiatives.

It works! It’s actually kind of cool that there are so many people worldwide who are passionate enough about this religion to give their all in service/giving of their time and talents to the church, without receiving so much as a penny for their labor. And it runs/operates pretty seamlessly and functionally in most parts of the world.

Temples

I love the temple! If you’re not a Latter-day Saint, you may be wondering about temples and what goes on inside them. To date, the church has 166 operating temples around the world. Our temples are much more sacred than our regular church buildings. The temple is a place where we go to learn more about the creation, God’s plan of salvation, the purpose of our life here on Earth, and to be taught from on high. Most importantly, it’s where we go to make higher, holier, sacred covenants with God, which open the floodgates of power and peace into our lives. It’s a place of prayer, quiet pondering, and gospel instruction. A place where you can be sealed by God’s power in marriage that can last not only “until death do you part”, but forever. Everything about the temple in centered on Christ.

I love going early to attend a session at the temple, just to sit in the chapel and read the scriptures, or just to ponder. There’s a feeling of peace and joy within the wall of the temple that is hard to describe, but that comes upon all who enter there. You may have felt a taste of it if you’ve ever attended an open house (they have it open to the public before it is dedicated– thereafter, you have to be a member in good standing in order to attend). It’s a refuge from the storms of life – a place where we can go to get away from it all and leave our worldly cares at the door. It’s the best place to go to feel empowered. You know the Disneyland slogan, “The happiest place on Earth”? Well, let me let you in on a little-known secret: as happy as Disneyland is for the young at heart, it’s actually the temple that is the happiest place on earth, in my opinion. Obviously not in the amusement park, pleasure-seeking type of way, but in the lasting happiness, peace-filled way. There is a power that comes whenever I emerge from worshipping in the temple, that is hard to describe. But it is real. It feels like I’ve been literally armed with power and a greater measure of the influence of the Holy Ghost in my life. I love it.

Best place to truly improve your life

The way that the church is organized is very inspired! I’m convinced that everything about it is set up in a way that can truly transform your life, if you fully engage and participate. Simply stated, it works! It’s a pattern for happiness. Embrace it. Live it. Let it change you.

Because it’s lay-member-run, you grow up giving talks, participating, and engaging from a very young age. It builds your life skills in many areas and provides the perfect environment for discovering and developing your personal talents and gifts. You get a lot of experience working with different people over the years, and a lot of experience with learning to mesh with different personalities, pressing on through little bumps in the road, even learning to exercise patience and forgiveness at times. It can refine you if you let it.

And let’s not forget about the amazing missionary program! Having been on a mission (18 months preaching the gospel in the Philippines), I can testify of the extraordinary amount of growth and learning that takes place on a mission. It’s like earning the equivalent of a phD in human relations, for one thing (I once heard someone describe it that way, and I kind of agree.) Secondly, my mastery/understanding of the gospel grew leaps and bounds; I feel like it gave me a bedrock understanding of the doctrine of Christ. (And believe me, it’s no vacation. You get up 6:30am every single day, and you’re at the plow pretty much until 9pm, studying, serving, teaching, and giving your all for the Lord and His children from sun up to sun down.) It is hard work! And takes an incredible amount of self-discipline. But you come home feeling like a totally transformed person. It’s seriously as if you have a decade of life experiences under your belt, even though you were only out there for 18-months to 2 years. It’s hard to describe, but that’s exactly how it felt. Some of the sweetest, most sacred experiences of my life came from my mission, and it will always be something I’ll look back on with a lot of reverence and gratitude. I want my children to be able to experience that same kind of growth. I love being a part of a church that provides this kind of opportunity for its young people.

The overarching reason why I feel like the church provides the best place to improve your life: it’s all about change! Everything is about repenting and accessing the grace of Jesus Christ by exercising faith. Becoming more like our Savior. Letting Him change you. The church’s unofficial slogan could be: “Come as you are, but don’t plan to stay as you are.” ¹ We believe in the possibility of eternal progression, and when you take things from that perspective, it gives a lot of hope and really motivates you to continuously seek to repent and improve each day.

The Power of Covenants

It’s also all centered on making and keeping sacred covenants (two-way promises) with God. The conditions of the covenants are set by God, and He promises certain blessings in return for keeping those conditions. This is the way God has always worked with his children (think Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob). It’s the established way by which He helps us, His children, to more fully progress in life and become closer to Him.

When the Church of Jesus Christ was restored to the Earth, the *priesthood power was restored along with it. *(The power & authority to act in God’s name and administer saving ordinances, like baptism). This is the same power that Christ conferred on his disciples, by which they could baptize, confer the Holy Ghost, heal the sick and perform miracles, just as Christ did.

I love having a husband who is ordained with this priesthood power, and who is able to give me and my children priesthood blessings in times of need. Through this power, my family and loved ones have experienced miracles and healing. I love having the power of God in my home.

I testify that there is a power that comes with covenant-keeping that really helps you get to the next level in your discipleship. This is how the power of the atonement of Jesus Christ becomes fully effective and active in our lives. It’s how we gain direct access to His power, which can flow freely into our lives to bless us and those we love.

With covenant-keeping, we experience a multitude of blessings, including an increase in testimony, faith, knowledge, wisdom, and revelation. The ability to see spiritual things more clearly, and an increased ability to discern between right and wrong. Increased knowledge to know what the Lord would have you do, and how to go about it. Sustaining power to endure life’s challenges and to overcome temptations. Covenant-keeping requires some effort in our personal lives, but the rewards far outweigh any sacrifice required.

We enter into covenants through priesthood ordinances (sacred rituals that God has ordained for us to manifest our commitment. Baptism is one example).

The feeling I got when I got baptized was exhilarating and indescribable. And so many I know who have been baptized under this same power have experienced it too and can testify of this same indescribable feeling. I felt completely washed clean from all my sins. It wasn’t just a personal feeling of excitement or joy- it was definitely outside of myself. As if God himself was impressing upon my heart the validity of the ordinance and putting His stamp of approval on what I had just done. I know that the power of God has been restored to the Earth through the prophet Joseph Smith, and that it enables us to receive all of the blessings He has in store for us. God has given His children on Earth the extraordinary privilege of acting in His name to bless the whole earth!

After baptism, you receive “The gift of the Holy Ghost” by that same priesthood authority. Which is the promise of having the constant companionship and direction of God’s spirit, as long as you stay faithful and worthy. Most valuable thing I’ve ever received in my life. I have absolutely no doubt that the gift of the Holy Ghost is real. I could never deny the many experiences I’ve had with it ever since being baptized and learning to recognize that still small voice and its increased frequency in my life.

It’s the Holy Ghost that confirms the validity and efficacy of our covenants and seals God’s promises upon us.² It’s incredible to be able to have confidence that your course is pleasing to God, and that He is honoring the covenants you have made with Him.

I know that the restored church of Jesus Christ has the power and authority from God to man to confer the gift of the Holy Ghost, and it is amazing to me. But it is true! And it is wonderful! And I want everyone to know about it!

Living prophets and apostles!

There is such a thing as modern prophets called by God. Just as real as Moses and Noah and Elijah. And just as the children of Israel were blessed by following the inspired direction given to them by a prophet of God, the whole world has the opportunity to be blessed by direction and guidance given to us by a modern prophet of God! It’s amazing! But it’s true! The Heavens are not closed. God still speaks to man. Our Heavenly Father is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and there are things truly manifested from heaven that will help greatly heal and bless families around the globe, if we only listen.

There are also modern apostles, just as real as Peter, James, John, and Paul. And they are just as inspired from heaven. One of the things that confirms to me that these men are truly called of God, is that whenever I have followed their inspired counsel, life is better for me. I have come to find more peace and happiness, even amidst my trials and the hard things in life. And as I’ve seen their prophecies fulfilled, and the blessings that they promise come to pass in my life, and it confirms that truth in my heart! That they are truly servants of the Lord, commissioned to preach His gospel to all the world. I’m so thankful that God loves us enough to still call prophets in our day! What a blessing!

But even if I didn’t know that Russell M. Nelson was God’s living prophet on the Earth, I’d still place great value on his advice. I’d still pick him to be my mentor. President Nelson is one of the most Christlike people you’ll ever meet and the type of person I seek to emulate. He’s the type of person that I’d want influencing my children; his values match those that I want to be instilled in my children.

And that goes for all of them. Even if I didn’t know that these 15 men were called of God, I’d still seek to heed their counsel, merely because of who they are. The more I study about each of them and their personal lives, the more my respect for them deepens. It’s inspiring to learn more about them, from those who have worked with or rubbed shoulders with them over the years, and especially from the perspective of those who know them best, such as their own children and family members. In their personal lives, they are full of integrity and virtue– devoted family men who are hard-working, intelligent, wise, loving, and good; true followers of Jesus Christ. They’re not perfect, but they’re servants of God, and I believe that their counsel is inspired.

Plus, each of them have led very interesting lives, and many have had incredibly unique experiences (like Elder Uchtdorf, who was a German refugee during WWII, and Elder Christofferson, who was one of the first two people to ever hear the WaterGate tapes, as he was serving as the clerk to Judge Sirica at the time). Several of them served in the military. Many of them have overcome great obstacles and have experienced great hardships. They have all had very distinguished careers and are very well educated in a variety of fields. Elder Oaks was a Supreme Court Justice, many of them have phDs. Several of them served as President of distinguished universities, and many excelled in their field as business leaders. And the prophet, President Russell M. Nelson, was an internationally renowned cardiothoracic surgeon, known for pioneering the effort of building the first heart-lung bypass machine. Pretty cool!

The reason I share this, is not because such backgrounds are required to be called as a prophet or apostle – God could call a simple uneducated farm boy if He wanted to (and He has!). But it is clear me that the Lord has prepared them for their callings as prophets, seers, and revelators, and to lead a worldwide church in this particular day and age. And yet, the thing I love is that they are not puffed up/arrogant because of how much they know. Rather, they follow the Savior’s example and take upon themselves the role of a servant, and spend their days working to serve and help those who they preside over. Oh, and by the way, apostles don’t ever retire; they’re in it for life, working long hours; it’s a full-time gig. They remind me of the fisherman on the seashore who, at the call of the Savior, left their nets (their careers/personal agendas) and followed him for the rest of their lives.

And the amazing thing is: they are humble and meek. They stand in stark contrast to the leaders we see so commonly in the world today, who seem to set themselves up as the light that they want others to flock to. But these 15 men don’t seek that. They are more concerned with pointing people to the Savior and to HIS light. They hold up a window that points us to Christ, rather than holding up a mirror pointing to themselves.

It reminds me of the lyrics to one of my favorite songs:

“I want to be a window to His love, so when you look at me you will see him.

I want to be so pure and clear that you don’t even know I’m here,

for His love will shine brightly through me.

A window to His love- a doorway to the truth.

A bearer of the message He’d have me bring to you.”

That is exactly what these 15 inspired men are doing. And I’m so grateful to have living prophets and apostles on the Earth today. It is truly a manifestation of our Heavenly Father’s great love for us. He will not leave us alone in the dark. He loves us just as much as He loved the people in Biblical times. And heaven knows, we live in a world that needs prophets and heavenly direction just as much today as the children of Israel needed them in their day.

The Bible tells us how to discern between true and false prophets: “Ye shall know them by their fruits.”³ I have seen and tasted the “fruit” of these modern day prophets and know that the fruit is good. The fruits I see in my life as I follow their inspired counsel is good. There is no doubt about that. I encourage everyone to come and see, and test the fruit to see if it is good because I testify that it is!

The Book of Mormon is the “fruit” of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, and powerful evidence of the divine call of the prophet Joseph Smith, who was instrumental in restoring Christ’s church back to the Earth in these last days. And well, there’s no explaining away the Book of Mormon; it speaks for itself.

The Book of Mormon!

This is the biggest/underlying reason I love the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints! All of the other things I’ve mentioned wouldn’t really exist were it not for the Book of Mormon.

The Book of Mormon is amazing! I know, without a doubt, that it is the word of God. There is power in that book. My love for The Book of Mormon in no way diminishes my love for the Bible, but rather enriches it. It greatly enhances my understanding of, and sheds a lot of light on numerous biblical teachings. It’s coming forth was prophesied about in the Bible, and what’s more– it was written specifically for our day and time.

I wish I could convince every one of my wonderful Bible-loving friends to read The Book of Mormon as well. It is a second witness of Jesus Christ! If you’ve only read the Bible, you’re missing a piece of the puzzle. A BIG piece. The Book of Mormon is a record of what was happening on the Western hemisphere during the times that the Bible events were happening. They knew about Christ too, many years before His coming, and there were prophets inspired to teach His gospel before Christ also appeared to them, His “other sheep”,⁴ shortly after his Resurrection (John 10:16). It’s a beautiful testament that God loves ALL his children, everywhere. And he wants them all to have the chance to hear and know about His gospel and the grace He offers us through His son Jesus Christ.

I could seriously talk for hours about the Book of Mormon. I’ve read it cover to cover more times than I can remember. (Like, more than 50. Maybe closer to 100, I don’t even know.) For anyone who is curious, I’d love to give you the load down/answer any questions you might have about what’s within those pages, maybe even share some of my favorite passages, etc. I’d even gladly sit down and share with you a long paraphrased version of all the amazing stories, people, places, etc. if you want (which would probably take a few hours but I’m sure would be fascinating & intriguing to someone who’s never read it) — But, really, to get the full effect, you’d ultimately have to read it for yourself. There’s just no way I could do it full justice. Suffice it to say, it’s a powerful, life-changing book. It teaches/clarifies so many things about Christ and His gospel. It’s another witness of Him, and will greatly enhance one’s feelings about the Bible and strengthen your conviction about who Jesus Christ really was. Anyone who reads the Book of Mormon will come to know more clearly what God is like, and will draw closer to Him as they apply its precepts. I’m absolutely convinced of that.

The thing is, even if The Book of Mormon were a work of fiction, which it is not, I’d still want it to be a part of my life. Because it enriches my life so much! It persuades you to do good, to love God, to serve others, to live honorably and with integrity, to stand up for what you know is right, even when it’s hard. Just to be a good person in general. I’d still want to use it in my home with my children because of how it inspires high moral character. I’d want to teach those inspirational stories to my children to help mold their character and give them a sense of the love that God has for them. I know of no other book that teaches about Christ and His gospel with such power and clarity.

Emphasis on finding out for yourself. Gaining your own testimony.

One of my favorite things about the church is that, in everything practiced and taught, there is always a huge emphasis on finding out for yourself. We are each encouraged to gain our own witness that God lives, that the scriptures are true, that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world, and that the church He established has been restored to the Earth, etc. Don’t just blindly follow. Study it out. Go directly to the source and find out for yourself whether or not all this is true. And pray to know. It’s all built upon the premise of James 1:5– “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God.” He’ll tell you, by the power of the Holy Ghost, if you really want to know, and if you go to him with full faith, a sincere heart, and real intent to act upon the answer given. ⁵

I love that the church’s new curriculum is really emphasizing helping people to be able to recognize that still small voice for themselves. In each lesson, we are encouraged to study the word of God prayerfully and to record the ideas and thoughts that come into our heart as we do. I love how the church empowers its members by helping us each be more spiritually self-reliant rather than having us lean on someone else’s testimony .

It’s interesting to me how many who convert to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are those who have been soul-searching for a long time, often bouncing around from church to church, and studying about all the many different denominations with an open heart and mind. In fact, we’re kinda known for being the church that genuine seekers of truth eventually end up settling on, after researching every other option/alternative with an open heart and conducting such a thorough search to know for themselves.

It’s True!

I love the Restored Church of Jesus Christ! It is a wonderful, inspired church that I believe is actively led by the Savior Jesus Christ himself. I know that’s a pretty bold statement, but I believe it to be true, and I feel it with every ounce of my heart! It’s amazing, but it’s true! And I can’t hold it in any longer.

Sometimes I struggle to know how to express my testimony and the things I hold most dear, to those around me. I’m not super great at expressing myself in day-to-day conversations and getting past the small talk most of the time. But inwardly I yearn for deeper conversations, and for the opportunity to share more meaningful experiences with those who may not yet have found what I have. Writing seems to make it a bit easier. Didn’t really intend for this to come across so much like a sales pitch, haha, but I guess that’s what happens when sharing about something I believe in so much. I love the way my friend Linda once put it: It’s like you’re enjoying a big glass of delicious fresh-squeezed orange juice, and someone sitting across the table from you doesn’t have one. Wouldn’t it be true that they, too, might perhaps enjoy some of that orange juice? Why keep it to myself?

Over my lifetime I’ve seen many embrace Christ’s restored church, and find greater fulfillment and peace than they previously thought possible. As one convert put it: “When I heard the gospel, it filled a hole in my heart I didn’t know was there.” Another said, “I have finished the search I didn’t know I was on.” ⁶

If you’ve never been to a Latter-day Saint service, I invite you to in me this Sunday! Come and see! If you need a friend to walk beside you as you test the waters, let me be that for you. And if you ever see any of those missionaries with black name tags around, I encourage you to invite them in; they would love to talk with you! I know they have tools that can strengthen and help you with whatever you’re currently going through. Bring them your questions, listen with an open heart, and see if they don’t have something in their message that may add to the richness of your life. Bring all the good that you already have, and let us see if we can add to it. ⁷ I promise you won’t regret it.

Footnotes:

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