Month: September 2014

Mormons believe that families are forever, that family relationships continue in the next life. That is one of the reasons why we put so much emphasis on families.

 

A forever family is not an automatic result of being married on earth. Marriages performed outside of a temple last until death or as stated in some ceremonies, “’til death do us part.” This is because in order for a marriage to last after death, it must be performed by someone who has the power to bind on earth and heaven. This is called the sealing power.

 

Elijah, a prophet of the Old Testament, had the sealing power. He sealed the heavens so there would be no rain (1 Kings 17:1). The sealing power is part of the priesthood, God’s power given to men to act in His name. At the end of the Old Testament, the prophet Malachi prophesied that Elijah would return and that he would “turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers” (Malachi 4:6). Elijah did return on April 3,1836 to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery in the Kirtland Temple. There Elijah gave Joseph and Oliver the priesthood keys of sealing (Doctrine & Covenants 110). That sealing power is given to worthy priesthood holders who act in the temple to seal couples and families. They have the priesthood power to bind on earth and heaven.

 

Once a couple is sealed in the temple, they must keep the covenants they made to God and each other. If they remain faithful and keep the commandments, they will be together with their children in the eternities, life with Jesus Christ.

 

If this doctrine seems impossible or unbelievable or intriguing, find out for yourself if it is true. In order to find out, you need to learn more about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and our teachings, then pray to know if what we teach is true. It either is or isn’t. If you sincerely study and pray, you will receive an answer through the power of the Holy Ghost.

 

A more true statement is that Families Can Be Together Forever. If that is something you want for your family, I invite you to learn more.

For a church which has high standards of dress and behavior, we have few restrictions for celebrating holidays and special occasions. Most members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints or Mormons celebrate major holidays and the holidays of their countries. The way we celebrate those holidays is usually based on family tradition. In the United States we celebrate Christmas, Easter, the 4th of July, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and New Year’s. I think that most families try to keep the emphasis for Christmas and Easter on the spiritual meaning of the holidays, Christ’s birth and resurrection. We do give and receive presents on Christmas. For Easter my husband’s family had their Easter egg hunt on the Saturday before Easter Sunday. My family woke up to hidden eggs, candy, and baskets on Easter Sunday. We never celebrate by drinking alcohol. Our family enjoys sparkling apple cider on New Year’s Eve. Some cultural celebrations and practices may need to be revised or eliminated when a person joins the church. Elder Dallin H. Oaks, an apostle of Jesus Christ, explains, “To help its members all over the world, the Church teaches us to give up any personal or family traditions or practices that are contrary to the teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ and to this gospel culture” (Ensign, March 2012). The standard for cultural practices is in the 13th Article of Faith, “We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul—We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.”

 

Not only do we celebrate holidays and birthdays, we also use ordinances and blessings as a time to get together as families. Some of these occasions are baby blessings, baptisms, young men receiving the priesthood, when missionaries leave and return from missions, and weddings. Family support gives us strength. We also appreciate the support of our ward family or the other members of our assigned congregation.

 

A unique holiday for Mormons is the 24th of July. This is a state holiday in Utah, but many of us also celebrate or at least keep this monumental day in mind. The 24th of July or Pioneer day commemorates when Mormon pioneers first entered the Salt Lake Valley in 1847. As a special family history note, my ancestor, Shadrach Roundy, was a member of the advance group. Brigham Young, the leader and prophet of the church then, descended into the Salt Lake Valley on July 24. Shadrach Roundy first saw the Salt Lake Valley on July 22 and along with five other men broke ground to plant seeds in the current location of the  City and County building. He was almost 59 years old.

 

My Mormon faith is based on Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world. Much of my Mormon culture centers on family. Being together with family for holidays and special occasions makes me even more grateful for a loving Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, who knew that we would experience great joy and growth in families.

Whether you have a desire or not to become a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, you might be curious about the steps. To become a member you must be baptized by someone who has priesthood authority or the Aaronic Priesthood and has been ordained a priest. Once you are baptized, you receive the gift of the Holy Ghost and then are listed on the records of the church as a member. Simple.

 

Except you have to be ready to make covenants with God. You must have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, repent, and then be interviewed by a priesthood leader. The questions are designed to verify your ability to keep the covenants you make during baptism and to determine if you are worthy to be baptized. You can read the questions in Chapter 12 of Preach My Gospel under Baptismal Interview Questions. The questions cover your testimony of God the Father and Jesus Christ, your belief in Joseph Smith, your worthiness and commitment to being sexually clean, paying tithing, keeping the Sabbath Day holy and more. When you are baptized you covenant to always remember Christ, to live like Him, and to keep His commandments. You must be ready to make and keep these covenants.

 

These steps are the same for children who are eight and for those who are older. Our children are not members when they are born. They must wait until they are eight to be baptized. That’s because a child has to be old enough to know right and wrong, choose between right and wrong, and be able to repent and keep the commandments.

 

My youngest child will be eight soon. To help prepare him for baptism we’ve been discussing topics related to baptism each week in Family Home Evening. Can a child who doesn’t remember to brush his teeth in the morning be expected to commit to a life of keeping the commandments? I know that when I was baptized, I didn’t comprehend the covenants I made. But afterwards I received the gift of the Holy Ghost and that guided me as a child and continues to guide me daily, even hourly. I also know that although the baptismal ordinance is short and simple, as each of my older four children have been immersed in the water, the Spirit witnesses to my heart that my child is making the right choice, that baptism is necessary and the first step in returning to our Heavenly Father. And then I’ve seen those same children become more aware of right and wrong as the Holy Ghost guides and directs them.

 

 

When I dig deep within myself to ask why I want to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with others, it’s not so I can say I’ve been a missionary. It’s not so my friends will all be in my church social group. It’s not because I fear for their souls. It’s because Jesus Christ is my Savior. When I’ve been torn with guilt or grief and knelt on the floor pleading for comfort, Jesus Christ tells me in my heart and mind that He knows me, that He loves me, and that no matter what I’ve done or the depth of my pain, that He has suffered for me. That He knows my pain, that He can heal me. And He has. Not once has He been silent when I’ve knelt and asked for reassurance. Does that mean that every prayer I utter is a deep, spiritual experience? No. Probably because I’m not asking with all my heart or paying attention. And yet, when I need Christ, He is there. He is my personal Savior, and He is your Savior. He suffered for every person that has lived and will live on this earth so that when you go to Him in prayer, He will tell you, “Be still and know that I am God.” You will know then and every time you ask that you are loved by one who understands all, comprehends all, and has suffered all.