The first part of the Plan of Salvation is what members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints refer to as the "Pre-mortal Life" or "Pre-Earth Life" because it talks about what happened before we were born on Earth (before receiving mortal bodies). In times past, some referred to it as the "Pre-existence" but this was not correct as we existed before this life on Earth.
First I should explain that in The Church, we believe that each person born is the combination of an eternal spirit that has a gender and existed before being born and a mortal, physical body. This body will one day die but the spirit will continue to live on after this life.
In this pre-mortal life, we lived as spirits together with God. We are his spirit children. We have divine potential and were given gender as an important role of the plan in providing eternal identity and purpose. We grew in knowledge. We had certain experiences as spirits that allowed us to grow and progress. However in order for us to continue to learn and progress, we needed bodies and the experiences that would come from having bodies. This would also allow us to become more like God, as He has a body of flesh and bone (Doctrine and Covenants 130:22).
There was a council held and all the spirit children were told of the plan for us to be born and receive bodies. We knew that these bodies would be imperfect; physically and mentally. We knew we wouldn't be in God's presence and that would make it harder (almost impossible) to return to God. We knew we must be perfect to return to His presence and that would require perfect obedience to God's laws and the laws of nature, for God is just.
At this council, two plans were presented that would allow us to return and live with God again. One plan was presented by Jesus. His plan was that we would be allowed to retain our agency, which meant we might not choose to obey and therefore not remain perfect. This would mean we couldn't return to God's presence after death. But Jesus said so that God could remain just, he would step in as a savior, or mediator, to provide mercy. He would come and pay the price for ALL our imperfections so that he might advocate before God on our behalf. In order for Jesus to do this, we would need to show faith in him and a desire to obey by following in his footsteps the best we can and by covenanting (or promising) to do certain things. All the glory would remain with God.
The second plan was proposed by Lucifer. In his plan, we would give up our agency and do only as Lucifer instructed. God's glory and power would be given to Lucifer.
The first plan was chosen, and was set into motion. Lucifer and his followers started a rebellion and were cast out of heaven. They will never have the opportunity to receive bodies or learn on Earth.
God and Jesus worked to create or organize an earth where we would come to live and learn.
(Moses 4:1-4, Abraham 3:24-28, The Family: A Proclamation to the World, Mormon.org Plan of Salvation)
Monday, June 26, 2017
Tuesday, May 16, 2017
Plan of Salvation - Overview
A lot of the stuff I talk about on here stems from my beliefs. One of the beliefs that is central to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is what we call the Plan of Salvation (LDS.org, Mormon.org).
The Plan of Salvation answers many questions and provides explanations to many of those answers. It will answer; where did we come from, why are we here (what is man's existence), and what happens after we die. It also provides a lot of information about how we can and why we should try to be and live our best.
Because the Plan of Salvation, also known as the Plan of Happiness and the Plan of Redemption, has so much information, I will share about it in stages. The main parts of the Plan include: the Pre-mortal life, which tells us we lived with God and he is the Father of our spirits; the Mortal or Earth life, which tells us life has purpose, that Jesus Christ is central to our lives, and that He is our Savior; and the After life, what happens after we die and that we can live with God again.
I hope that as you read these, you will take the time to think about what I share and leave any comments or ask any questions you may have.
The Plan of Salvation answers many questions and provides explanations to many of those answers. It will answer; where did we come from, why are we here (what is man's existence), and what happens after we die. It also provides a lot of information about how we can and why we should try to be and live our best.
Because the Plan of Salvation, also known as the Plan of Happiness and the Plan of Redemption, has so much information, I will share about it in stages. The main parts of the Plan include: the Pre-mortal life, which tells us we lived with God and he is the Father of our spirits; the Mortal or Earth life, which tells us life has purpose, that Jesus Christ is central to our lives, and that He is our Savior; and the After life, what happens after we die and that we can live with God again.
I hope that as you read these, you will take the time to think about what I share and leave any comments or ask any questions you may have.
Monday, May 15, 2017
Scriptures of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints recognizes a canon comprised of the Holy Bible (in the English language most members of The Church use the King James Version), the Book of Mormon (LDS.org and Mormon.org), the Pearl of Great Price, and Doctrine and Covenants. I will give a brief description of each below but for more information, use the links provided.
The Holy Bible:
Like most Christian religions, the Church recognizes and believes the Bible to be the word of God as given to prophets and apostles who lived in and around Jerusalem. The Old Testament contains the words of prophets before Jesus was born. Jesus is often referred to as Jehovah in the Old Testament. The New Testament contains the words of prophets and apostles after Jesus was born. It contains information about Jesus Christ's birth, life, teachings, death, and resurrection. It also contains the travels and teachings of his apostles after His death and resurrection.
If I remember correctly, I believe The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints adopted the King James Version for the English language as the official Bible the Church uses because King James had the Old and New Testaments translated to English directly from the original languages and there have been no additional translations since.
The Book of Mormon (information from LDS.org and from Mormon.org):
The Book of Mormon is another Testament of Jesus Christ. The book starts around the beginning of King Zedekiah's reign in Jerusalem. Prophets were being cast out and occasionally killed during this time. One of these prophets was a man named Lehi. Following a command from God, he gathered his family, another family, and scriptures referred to as The Plates of Brass, which contained the teachings found in the beginning parts of the Bible. They were guided and came to the American Continent. The Book of Mormon contains the teachings and stories of the people who lived here. There is an account of Jesus Christ visiting the people after His resurrection in Jerusalem. The book continues for around another 400 years. It provides evidence of the truthfulness of the teachings in the Bible and clarifies some of the teachings. It acts as a witness that God cares for us no matter where we live and provides additional testimony of Jesus Christ and His teachings.
The Book of Mormon was hidden and sealed by the final prophet to write in it. Many years later, the plates on which the book was original written were given to Joseph Smith to translate. He was able to translate them through the gift and power given him by God.
Doctrine and Covenants:
This is a collection of revelations and covenants given to Joseph Smith and other prophets before, during, and shortly after he helped restore The Church of Jesus Christ, which is officially called The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints to distinguish it from the church during Jesus Christ's time and because we are in the latter days.
Pearl of Great Price:
Additional scriptures translated by Joseph Smith. It contains teachings from Abraham, Moses and other prophets. Added to it are a translation of certain parts of Matthew, a brief history about Joseph Smith, and Articles of Faith. The articles of faith are the teachings of the gospel outlined in 13 declarations of what we believe.
I hope this helps clarify as I talk about other things here on the blog.
The Holy Bible:
Like most Christian religions, the Church recognizes and believes the Bible to be the word of God as given to prophets and apostles who lived in and around Jerusalem. The Old Testament contains the words of prophets before Jesus was born. Jesus is often referred to as Jehovah in the Old Testament. The New Testament contains the words of prophets and apostles after Jesus was born. It contains information about Jesus Christ's birth, life, teachings, death, and resurrection. It also contains the travels and teachings of his apostles after His death and resurrection.
If I remember correctly, I believe The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints adopted the King James Version for the English language as the official Bible the Church uses because King James had the Old and New Testaments translated to English directly from the original languages and there have been no additional translations since.
The Book of Mormon (information from LDS.org and from Mormon.org):
The Book of Mormon is another Testament of Jesus Christ. The book starts around the beginning of King Zedekiah's reign in Jerusalem. Prophets were being cast out and occasionally killed during this time. One of these prophets was a man named Lehi. Following a command from God, he gathered his family, another family, and scriptures referred to as The Plates of Brass, which contained the teachings found in the beginning parts of the Bible. They were guided and came to the American Continent. The Book of Mormon contains the teachings and stories of the people who lived here. There is an account of Jesus Christ visiting the people after His resurrection in Jerusalem. The book continues for around another 400 years. It provides evidence of the truthfulness of the teachings in the Bible and clarifies some of the teachings. It acts as a witness that God cares for us no matter where we live and provides additional testimony of Jesus Christ and His teachings.
The Book of Mormon was hidden and sealed by the final prophet to write in it. Many years later, the plates on which the book was original written were given to Joseph Smith to translate. He was able to translate them through the gift and power given him by God.
Doctrine and Covenants:
This is a collection of revelations and covenants given to Joseph Smith and other prophets before, during, and shortly after he helped restore The Church of Jesus Christ, which is officially called The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints to distinguish it from the church during Jesus Christ's time and because we are in the latter days.
Pearl of Great Price:
Additional scriptures translated by Joseph Smith. It contains teachings from Abraham, Moses and other prophets. Added to it are a translation of certain parts of Matthew, a brief history about Joseph Smith, and Articles of Faith. The articles of faith are the teachings of the gospel outlined in 13 declarations of what we believe.
I hope this helps clarify as I talk about other things here on the blog.
Agency is like...
Recently my husband was helping some young children understand about agency and he came up with an amazing analogy that I wanted to share.
Imagine you are given a gift, a present. This gift is a hammer. When you are given this hammer, you are given rules and hints on how best to use the hammer. You are shown that the hammer is capable of making beautiful and wonderful things. However, this hammer can also be used to break down and destroy things. How the hammer is used is up to you.
You can choose how you use your hammer. You cannot choose how others will use their hammers. You can do your best to choose good materials for your building but there may be challenges and complications; weaknesses and knots in the wood, extra careful measuring, and such. Even when you follow all the rules, creating your building will not be easy. It requires work and diligence. There may be times, no matter how careful you think you may be or how well you are following the instructions, that a nail will bend or you hit your thumb. However, you are still acting for yourself.
On the other hand, using your hammer for destruction often comes easy. There aren't any rules or guidelines. Without meaning to, you can destroy what other people have built. But you will never be able to build anything that is safe and stable without following the rules. At some point, you won't be acting for yourself but will be acted upon by the forces of nature.
This is how agency works. God gave us agency. It is a gift. God has given us commandments. These are like the rules and guidelines on how to build something. When these commandments are followed, even if we don't understand why they must be followed, we will be able to create beautiful things. We are the agents of our lives and can choose to act. When we don't follow them, we may think we are building strong, sound structures but they will be riddled with problems and we may not know how bad those problems are until we are nearing completion. Once this happens, we are not agents. Our choices will be limited and we will have become dependent of the outcomes of our previous choices.
There will be times when we have control and are able to make choices that are the best and sometimes we will have to make choices that turn rough situations into what is best available to us. I am grateful for agency. I am glad I live in a place that grants freedoms that allow me to use my agency. There may be times when I say or do things that sound like I support limiting choice or agency, I don't view it that way. When I support laws and make decisions that follow God's commandments as I understand them, that is my way of trying to help others understand the instructions given so that they may build beautiful strong structures as well.
Imagine you are given a gift, a present. This gift is a hammer. When you are given this hammer, you are given rules and hints on how best to use the hammer. You are shown that the hammer is capable of making beautiful and wonderful things. However, this hammer can also be used to break down and destroy things. How the hammer is used is up to you.
You can choose how you use your hammer. You cannot choose how others will use their hammers. You can do your best to choose good materials for your building but there may be challenges and complications; weaknesses and knots in the wood, extra careful measuring, and such. Even when you follow all the rules, creating your building will not be easy. It requires work and diligence. There may be times, no matter how careful you think you may be or how well you are following the instructions, that a nail will bend or you hit your thumb. However, you are still acting for yourself.
On the other hand, using your hammer for destruction often comes easy. There aren't any rules or guidelines. Without meaning to, you can destroy what other people have built. But you will never be able to build anything that is safe and stable without following the rules. At some point, you won't be acting for yourself but will be acted upon by the forces of nature.
This is how agency works. God gave us agency. It is a gift. God has given us commandments. These are like the rules and guidelines on how to build something. When these commandments are followed, even if we don't understand why they must be followed, we will be able to create beautiful things. We are the agents of our lives and can choose to act. When we don't follow them, we may think we are building strong, sound structures but they will be riddled with problems and we may not know how bad those problems are until we are nearing completion. Once this happens, we are not agents. Our choices will be limited and we will have become dependent of the outcomes of our previous choices.
There will be times when we have control and are able to make choices that are the best and sometimes we will have to make choices that turn rough situations into what is best available to us. I am grateful for agency. I am glad I live in a place that grants freedoms that allow me to use my agency. There may be times when I say or do things that sound like I support limiting choice or agency, I don't view it that way. When I support laws and make decisions that follow God's commandments as I understand them, that is my way of trying to help others understand the instructions given so that they may build beautiful strong structures as well.
Monday, February 27, 2017
Is there a God?
Does God really exist? I believe yes He does.
I have read various articles in which people question God's existence. They say things like "if there is a God/supreme bring and He is good and loves us, why would He let bad things happen?" Or "look at what the bible says or what this religious person has done, therefore there is no God and/or religion is bad."
Many people look at the things humans do and then blame God for those things or claim if people act a certain that way then there couldn't possibly be a god. That's why I love the example story about the barber. (The shortened version is a barber doesn't believe in God and spends the entire haircut saying as much, including the examples above, to the man in the chair. After, the man who just listened to all that, exited the barber shop and returned a few moments later with someone who hasn't had a haircut in a while and proceeds to use this man as proof there aren't barbers.) You wouldn't ever look at someone who doesn't take care of their hair or cut their hair and assume hair stylists or barbers don't care or don't exist, right? So then why blame God when people, religious or not, make choices?
I believe in coincidence, chance, and happenstance but I also think there are things too big to fall into those categories. The existence of the earth and everything on it: too complex and too slim of chances for all this to just happen without any assistance.
Have you ever studied the complexity with the rotation of the planets, their moons, and the solar systems? As objects move too close or too far, climates change and determine if life can be sustained. The size of a moon, its rotation, and its distance from a planet determines if it will orbit or it becomes a free floater.
The human body is amazing and man has nowhere near the knowledge to create anything that comes close to the why the human body works, let alone create life out of nothing. The cells, organs, molecules and everything else work together in such a way that its hard to believe in chance. Minimal changes cause terrible problems within the body. Our bodies have the potential to heal themselves within certain limits.
To me, just about everything we can observe here on Earth and in outer space around us are evidence that God exists and that he has a hand in ensuring the creation of the matter around us.
I have read various articles in which people question God's existence. They say things like "if there is a God/supreme bring and He is good and loves us, why would He let bad things happen?" Or "look at what the bible says or what this religious person has done, therefore there is no God and/or religion is bad."
Many people look at the things humans do and then blame God for those things or claim if people act a certain that way then there couldn't possibly be a god. That's why I love the example story about the barber. (The shortened version is a barber doesn't believe in God and spends the entire haircut saying as much, including the examples above, to the man in the chair. After, the man who just listened to all that, exited the barber shop and returned a few moments later with someone who hasn't had a haircut in a while and proceeds to use this man as proof there aren't barbers.) You wouldn't ever look at someone who doesn't take care of their hair or cut their hair and assume hair stylists or barbers don't care or don't exist, right? So then why blame God when people, religious or not, make choices?
I believe in coincidence, chance, and happenstance but I also think there are things too big to fall into those categories. The existence of the earth and everything on it: too complex and too slim of chances for all this to just happen without any assistance.
Have you ever studied the complexity with the rotation of the planets, their moons, and the solar systems? As objects move too close or too far, climates change and determine if life can be sustained. The size of a moon, its rotation, and its distance from a planet determines if it will orbit or it becomes a free floater.
The human body is amazing and man has nowhere near the knowledge to create anything that comes close to the why the human body works, let alone create life out of nothing. The cells, organs, molecules and everything else work together in such a way that its hard to believe in chance. Minimal changes cause terrible problems within the body. Our bodies have the potential to heal themselves within certain limits.
To me, just about everything we can observe here on Earth and in outer space around us are evidence that God exists and that he has a hand in ensuring the creation of the matter around us.
Love and support...?
I have had a few debates/arguments within the past few months on Facebook. I actually started the debates/picked the fights. I did this because the people I was debating had decided to bad mouth, name call, and other similar things people who voted for Donald Trump. However, I wasn't upset or offended because I voted for him. I did not vote for him. I was upset because I have friends and family who did vote for him. I don't know all of the reasons why they chose to support him. What I do know is that someone who disagreed with my friends' or family members' choice was mocking, "disowning", and belittling my friends and family. So I stood up for them. Sadly, in 2 of the instances the person/people who were saying such things about Trump voters have/had close relationships with the people they were talking about. In one of instances, they all but mentioned the person they were treating so disrespectfully by name.
Here are the list of reasons why these people acted so horridly towards others (according to what they said to me):
Here are the list of reasons why these people acted so horridly towards others (according to what they said to me):
- Their opinions or reasons are stupid and are invalid so I don't have to acknowledge them.
- They chose what they did and have to live with that choice of choosing hate.
- Trump is evil and they are supporting evil.
- If they were a real (the person's ethnicity) they wouldn't even consider voting for him.
- I am standing up for what is right while they are in the wrong.
I am sure there are more but this is what I am drawing from memory of how the conversations made me feel.
These interactions have left me feeling bothered; not because of what was said to me in the moment or what I said in return. What bothered, and continues to bother me, is the lack of love and understanding being shown.
As I have previously written about, I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and based on what I have learned from the teachings of the Church I think tattooing your body shows a lack of respect for your body and God's creations. I think drinking alcohol and taking certain drugs (marijuana, crack, meth, etc.) impair thinking and acting which prevents you from using agency properly. For moral reasons, I don't think abortion should be legal. The list could go on. However, here is my point and one I believe that Jesus Christ taught. We can disagree without being rude or disagreeable. We can love and support without agreeing or condoning the choices that person makes. I try to encourage others to not do those things I think are wrong or sinful even if it means supporting laws that seem to limit choice or freedom. If asked about it, I would try to teach them what I believe and why and then encourage them to change their lives to better follow God's commandments. And here's the big BUT...even if they don't change or if they don't ask, I'm not going to end friendships, point fingers and mock, or anything else that might jeopardize those relationships. If its a person with whom I don't currently have any type of relationship, I will still try my best to treat them with love, respect, and kindness.
Somehow people have decided that in order to love someone, you must agree and accept their life choices. I don't buy into that. They are not mutually exclusive ideas. Jesus Christ showed compassion for all but it didn't stop him from chastising the woman caught in adultery or from throwing tables and throwing out the money changers at the temple. He didn't agree with what these people did. He loved them and did what He thought was necessary for for them to change.
Somehow people have decided that in order to love someone, you must agree and accept their life choices. I don't buy into that. They are not mutually exclusive ideas. Jesus Christ showed compassion for all but it didn't stop him from chastising the woman caught in adultery or from throwing tables and throwing out the money changers at the temple. He didn't agree with what these people did. He loved them and did what He thought was necessary for for them to change.
Thursday, November 10, 2016
This time, hate won but I will continue in faith.
Yesterday was Election Day. Yesterday I filled out my ballot and hoped that what I was voting for was right. I wasn't sure about how I would feel about this election. The campaign trail was long and gruesome. Between the 2 major party candidates, the choice was between someone whose platform ideas I understood and shared (in a general sense although the actual plans for completing those platforms definitely could use work) but said terrible things and had done terrible things or someone whose platform I didn't agree with for the most part and had also said and done some terrible things. Neither option was pleasing to me. If I had to choose just between those 2, I would have chosen for the one whose platform I agreed with.
Over the past few elections, I seen or heard about people becoming extremely emotional by the outcomes. Again, this isn't something I have ever experienced. I think this is because of my religious upbringing and eternal perspective. I believe that God loves us and in order to help us grow and learn He allows us to experience trials and hardship. Sometimes these hardships are due to our own decisions, sometimes because of the decisions for others, and sometimes simply because they help us grow. This is where faith and perspective help me feel secure, happy, and confident. I understand that this life isn't the end game. I believe the laws of justice and mercy will ensure that everything works out when that appointed time comes. Part of faith is learning to continue doing what you believe is good and right even when things aren't going the way you plan.
So this morning as I perused through Facebook, I struggled to understand people crying simply because one candidate lost. I was a little confused as to why they wondered what they would tell their kids about this election outcome. I couldn't understand why, when this president-elect hasn't done anything yet, people were so afraid. However, now I am beginning to see but my feelings aren't because of who won or who lost. Mine come because of what we as a people, as fellow Americans and human beings, are doing to each other.
Over the past few elections, I seen or heard about people becoming extremely emotional by the outcomes. Again, this isn't something I have ever experienced. I think this is because of my religious upbringing and eternal perspective. I believe that God loves us and in order to help us grow and learn He allows us to experience trials and hardship. Sometimes these hardships are due to our own decisions, sometimes because of the decisions for others, and sometimes simply because they help us grow. This is where faith and perspective help me feel secure, happy, and confident. I understand that this life isn't the end game. I believe the laws of justice and mercy will ensure that everything works out when that appointed time comes. Part of faith is learning to continue doing what you believe is good and right even when things aren't going the way you plan.
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| Picture of the saying above my bed. |
So this morning as I perused through Facebook, I struggled to understand people crying simply because one candidate lost. I was a little confused as to why they wondered what they would tell their kids about this election outcome. I couldn't understand why, when this president-elect hasn't done anything yet, people were so afraid. However, now I am beginning to see but my feelings aren't because of who won or who lost. Mine come because of what we as a people, as fellow Americans and human beings, are doing to each other.
People who said they are against hate and couldn't vote for someone who spewed so much hate are now hating, bullying, and demeaning a group of people they blame for the election outcome. People who share the same race or ethnicity are anger and threatening violence against their own if they ever find out they voted for the president-elect. People are telling other people to pack their bags and leave the country; sometimes this is adults directed towards anyone who said they'd leave if that candidate won and others have been young adults directed towards classmates. Why would we treat each other so?
There is so much hating, judging, name calling, finger pointing, pouting, gloating, and other self-centered, bully like behavior going on that I am sure Satan is laughing with delight. As of right now, I feel like he is the only winner in this election.
I just wish people would stop for a moment and take a deep breath. Instead of focusing on what they are feeling and going through, think about what others may be feeling and going through. Try to understand why they made the choice they did.
As I watch the events unfold (riots, protests, threats, and more in addition to what people are posting online), I feel as though I am getting a glimpse of what Mormon, Ether and Moroni felt as they watched as their civilization divided into 2 groups and then started fighting. In their stories, after battles of who was right, they went to war. In Ether's tale, all but 2 people were killed. In Mormon and Moroni's tale, one side prevailed but only after extreme losses and in the process, they lost their humanity. Is this what it has come to? Are we destined to go this same route? I hope that we do not, "but if not" (Daniel 3:18) I know that God has a greater plan and if I trust in Him things may still be difficult but in the end, it will work out.
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