The Nature of God

There are three separate persons in the Godhead: God, the Eternal Father; his Son, Jesus Christ; and the Holy Ghost. We believe in each of them (A of F 1:1). From latter-day revelation we learn that the Father and the Son have tangible bodies of flesh and bone and that the Holy Ghost is a personage of spirit, without flesh and bone (D&C 130:22–23). These three persons are one in perfect unity and harmony of purpose and doctrine (John 17:21–23; 2 Ne. 31:21; 3 Ne. 11:27, 36).

God the Father

It is generally the Father, or Elohim, who is referred to by the title God. He is called the Father because he is the father of our spirits (Mal. 2:10; Num. 16:22; 27:16; Matt. 6:9; Eph. 4:6; Heb. 12:9). God the Father is the supreme ruler of the universe. He is all powerful (Gen. 18:14; Alma 26:35; D&C 19:1–3), all knowing (Matt. 6:8; 2 Ne. 2:24), and everywhere present through his Spirit (Ps. 139:7–12; D&C 88:7–13, 41). Mankind has a special relationship to God that sets man apart from all other created things: men and women are God’s spirit children (Ps. 82:6; 1 Jn. 3:1–3; D&C 20:17–18).  There are few recorded instances of God the Father appearing to or speaking to man. The scriptures say that he spoke to Adam and Eve (Moses 4:14–31) and introduced Jesus Christ on several occasions (Matt. 3:17; 17:5; John 12:28–29; 3 Ne. 11:3–7). He appeared to Stephen (Acts 7:55–56) and Joseph Smith (JS—H 1:17). Later he appeared to both Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon (D&C 76:20, 23). To those who love God and purify themselves before him, God sometimes grants the privilege of seeing and knowing for themselves that he is God (Matt. 5:8; 3 Ne. 12:8; D&C 76:116–118; 93:1).

God the Son

The God known as Jehovah is the Son, Jesus Christ (Isa. 12:2; 43:11; 49:26; 1 Cor. 10:1–4; 1 Tim. 1:1; Rev. 1:8; 2 Ne. 22:2). Jesus works under the direction of the Father and is in complete harmony with him. All mankind are his brothers and sisters, for he is the eldest of the spirit children of Elohim. Some scripture references refer to him by the word God. For example, the scripture says that “God created the heaven and the earth” (Gen. 1:1), but it was actually Jesus who was the Creator under the direction of God the Father (John 1:1–3, 10, 14; Heb. 1:1–2).

God the Holy Ghost

The Holy Ghost is also a God and is called the Holy Spirit, the Spirit, and the Spirit of God, among other similar names and titles. With the aid of the Holy Ghost, man can know the will of God the Father and know that Jesus is the Christ (1 Cor. 12:3).

For more scriptural references, see: lds.org

Answers to Prayer

Today I was reading in the Book of Mormon about how our prayers can be answered.  Alma has a great explanation of how not only our prayers can be answered, but our questions as well. 
Alma 5:45-48
"...Do ye not suppose that I know of these things myself? Behold, I testify unto you that I do know that these things whereof I have spoken are true. And how do ye suppose that I know of their surety?

Behold, I say unto you they are made known unto me by the Holy Spirit of God. Behold, I have fasted and prayed many days that I might know these things of myself. And now I do know of myself that they are true; for the Lord God hath made them manifest unto me by his Holy Spirit; and this is the spirit of revelation which is in me."

I underlined several things that stood out to me, one of them being the question, how do we know if our prayers are being answered.  Alma gives the answer in the next verse saying that it is through the Holy Ghost, fasting, praying, and the spirit of revelation.

He then goes on to say that it has been revealed to him that the words that their fathers had spoken were true according to the spirit of prophecy as well as by the Spirit of God or Holy Ghost.   After that he concludes by bearing his powerful testimony of Jesus Christ and His Atonement:

"I say unto you, that I know of myself that whatsoever I shall say unto you, concerning that which is to come, is true; and I say unto you, that I know that Jesus Christ shall come, yea, the Son, the Only Begotten of the Father, full of grace, and mercy, and truth. And behold, it is he that cometh to take away the sins of the world, yea, the sins of every man who steadfastly believeth on his name."

I know that these scriptures are true and I know that we can all know they are true by praying about them.  Receiving answers to our prayers takes effort and the Lord recognizes and blesses our efforts.  I know that prayers are answered, because mine have been.  I testify of these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

BD:Prayer

"Did you think to Pray"

My Pioneer Heritage (part 2)

James Johnson and his wife Marie Larsen

Family tradition has it that during their trek across the plains, James who was lame, would leave camp early and Mary would break camp and travel with the company, which would pass James about noon.  At the end of the day's journey, Mary would make camp and prepare for the night.  James would come into camp after dark.

One afternoon after the company had passed James, they heard a loud thundering noise and saw a huge dust cloud back over the trail they had traversed earlier.  It was a buffalo stampede, and they were so sure that James had been caught in it that several men with shovels went back to bury him.  They were surprised to see him walking along the trail.  As they approached him, he asked them where they were going.  They said they had come out to find and bury him.  

When they got to camp, everyone was excited to hear how he had escaped the stampede.  When asked about it, he said "yes" he had heard the rumble like a mighty ocean wave.  He thought of all the hardships he had suffered and blessings he had received in coming this far and dropped to his knees in prayer.  As the wave of buffalo reached him, they split and flowed around him as if a huge rock barred their way.  As they passed, the split closed, and they thundered on their way, leaving him saying a prayer of thanksgiving.

 The power of prayer is real.  Without it, I wouldn't even be here today.  Our loving Heavenly Father definitely answers our prayers and wants the best for us.  May we all pray for strength in these difficult times.  

In His Likeness

Genesis 1:26-27
26 ¶And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

We were created by our Father in Heaven in His image.  What a great thought to have!  We are children of a loving Heavenly Father who loves us with a perfect love.  He shows this love in a number of ways and each one is a blessing.  When you pray to Heavenly Father, think of a loving Father, in whose image you are created, who is helping you to govern yourself. 

Spirit children of the Father

• Ye are gods, children of the most High, Ps. 82:6
• We are the offspring of God, Acts 17:29
• Be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, Heb. 12:9
• I am a son of God, Moses 1:13

Children born again through the Atonement

• As many as received him gave he power to become the sons of God, John 1:12 (Rom. 8:14; 3 Ne. 9:17; D&C 11:30).
• Now are we the sons of God, 1 Jn. 3:1–2
• You shall be called the children of Christ, his sons and his daughters, Mosiah 5:7
• All people must be born again, becoming his sons and daughters, Mosiah 27:25
• They shall become my sons and my daughters, Ether 3:14
• Ye certainly will become a child of Christ, Moro. 7:19
• All those who receive my gospel are sons and daughters, D&C 25:1
• They are gods, even the sons of God, D&C 76:58
• Thus may all become my sons, Moses 6:68
• Many have believed and become the sons of God, Moses 7:1

(Sons and Daughters of God)

We all have divine potential.  Knowing where we came from can help us to see where we're going and what we can become.  God has a plan for everyone and that plan is for us to be happy.  This is done by keeping His commandments and drawing closer to Him.  I am a child of God!

Families Can Be Together Forever

We are all part of God's family and our families here on earth help to prepare us for eternal life.  For more information:
Strengthening Families
The Family: A Proclamation to the World

Christ Centered Christmas

Today for my studies, I read about the different names that Christ has in the Bible Dictionary.  He is known by so many different names and they all have a specific meaning and purpose.  Jesus was a pretty common name back then* and meant 'God is Help' or 'Savior.'  Christ means the 'Annointed' in Greek and Aramaic as well as the 'Messiah' in Hebrew.  Some of the more used names include: Immanuel, Messiah, and the Anointed One.

Immanuel means 'God with Us' and is a sign of God's deliverance.  It signifies that Christ as God will be born into mortality of a virgin and will be among the people to save and redeem them.

Immanuel

Messiah means the anointed and is used as the title of an office, it denotes the King and Deliverer whose coming the Jews were eagerly expecting.  Many Jews, as we learn from the Gospels, were looking only for a deliverer from the Roman power and for greater national prosperity; so when the Messiah came, the nation as a whole rejected him.
-Messiah

Jesus is spoken of as the Christ and the Messiah, which means he is the one anointed of the Father to be his personal representative in all things pertaining to the salvation of mankind.

-Anointed One

There are many, many more and they all have a purpose as I said before.  My favorite reference to his different names is found in Isaiah 9:6 which says: For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

Christ Centered Christmas


Today for my studies about Jesus Christ I looked up the different references in the Topical Guide under Jesus Christ, Mission of.  It caught my eye, because I'm on a mission and I thought about how my mission and the Savior's mission are similar in ways.  Some of the parts of the Savior's mission include that he was to:
-Swallow up death in victory(Isaiah 25:8).
-Save His people from their sins(Matthew 1:21).
-Fulfill all righteousness(Matthew 3:15).
-Reign over the House of Jacob(Luke 1:33).
-Heal the broken hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, recover sight, set at liberty them that are bruised. And to preach the acceptable year of the Lord(Luke 4:18).
-Save the world(John 12:47).
-Publish Peace(Mosiah 12:21).
-Redeem His people(Mosiah 15:1).
-Satisfy... justice(Mosiah 15:9).
-Atoneth for the sins of the world(Alma 42:15).
-Bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man(Moses 1:39).

I am so grateful for the life and mission of our Savior Jesus Christ.  I am also thankful to be one of His representatives at this time and helping Him fulfill His purpose.  Each of us has own mission and plan for our lives.  Each one is different, but equally important in God's eyes.  I bear you my testimony that Jesus is our Redeemer and only through Him we can have eternal life.

http://mormon.org/jesus-christ