The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (often inadvertently referred to as the Mormon Church) asserts that it is the only religion with a fullness of gospel truth. This claim is certainly a bold one. You may be wondering how all truth could be found in one belief system; furthermore, you may not think that everyone fits into such a system. With billions upon billions of people who have graced this planet, how could one truth be applicable to all of them? The fact is that those spiritual and eternal truths for which we all seek can be found in one place, the gospel of Jesus Christ. The message of the Church of Jesus Christ is that because our Lord and Savior died for us, He has claimed us, and so His truth is for all of us.

The gospel of Christ is inclusive

You may be someone searching for truth and answers. The gospel of Jesus Christ has them. Regardless of your background, your lifestyle, or your current belief system, the gospel of Christ is for you, and you can accept it wherever you are. The truths found in the gospel of Jesus Christ will change your heart and give you the courage and strength to make good and needed changes in your lifestyle and behavior. The gospel is not for those who have already reached perfection, but rather for those who are imperfect and seek the change that will make them more like Jesus Christ. The gospel of Jesus Christ is for all of us.

The Church of Jesus Christ has members all across the globe, and now has more members outside of North America than inside. The gospel is a worldwide gospel, one that transcends race, nationality, and culture. The truths contained in the gospel of Christ are applicable in whatever circumstance you may find yourself; the gospel is applicable and inclusive to all who seek truth.

The Church of Jesus Christ encourages the seeking of truth

The doctrine of the Church of Christ encourages you to seek truth for yourself. Some of the last words in The Book of Mormon challenge the reader to discover for him- or herself the verity of the book:

And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost. (Moroni 10:4)

Joseph Smith, the prophet who under the direction of God restored the Church of Jesus Christ to the earth, explains that the faith he restored and truth are inseparable:

The first and fundamental principle of our holy religion is, that we believe that we have a right to embrace all, and every item of truth, without limitation or without being circumscribed or prohibited by the creeds or superstitious notions of men, or by the dominations of one another, when that truth is clearly demonstrated to our minds. (Letter from Joseph Smith to Isaac Galland, Mar. 22, 1839, Liberty Jail, Liberty, Missouri, published in Times and Seasons, Feb. 1840, pp. 53–54; spelling and grammar modernized)

The gospel of Jesus Christ is for all, because it issues a blanket invitation to prayerfully seek confirmation of its doctrines. Because the gospel contains all truth, no one is excluded from being able to realize its blessings.

Jesus Christ has already made us His

The gospel of Jesus Christ is for His children. He suffered in Gethsemane and died on the cross for us. The truths professed by the gospel today are for Christ’s people, and the beauty of this is that we are all Christ’s people. He died for all of us, not just for those who have been baptized or who live the commandments; His grace is for everyone, which makes everyone His.

The gospel is for all because Christ has already redeemed us all. The next step in our salvation comes in our individual acceptance of this truth and in our willingness to let His grace change, cleanse, and empower us.

The gospel is for you

Your life is unique, characterized by specific experiences and belief systems that have made you who you are right now. A worldwide church may not seem tailored to you. You may even be thinking, How could one religion be for everyone? The gospel of Christ, as realized in its fullness in The Church of Jesus Christ, is for the individual, for you. Jesus Christ knows you, suffered for you, believes in you, and His truth is for you. He knows your name, your genetic makeup, your talents, your handicaps, your challenges, your disappointments, your grief, and He created a system whereby you can be made clean. His gospel has been and always will be for you.

As a mother and a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (sometimes inadvertently called the Mormon Church), I spend the evening of the first Friday in April (and October) getting ready for General Conference. General Conference is when Church members worldwide gather at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City (or via satellite transmission or over the Internet) to hear the words of the prophet, apostles and other leaders. It takes planning and creativity (as well as printer paper, ink, crayons, notebooks, candy and General Conference Bingo cards) to help four children ages 12 and under quietly listen for four 2-hour sessions. But it’s always worth the effort. One of the messages that stood out to me this April was from Sister Elaine S. Dalton, the recently released Young Women General President of the Church, who counseled Mormon women to stand as witnesses to Christ “at all times, and in all things, and in all places.”

 ‘We are Daughters of our Heavenly Father’

In her address, titled “We Are Daughters of our Heavenly Father,” she said:

In a morally desensitizing world, young women need women … to ‘stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places.’ Never before has this been more important than now. Young women need mothers and mentors who exemplify virtuous womanhood. Mothers, your relationship with your daughter is of paramount importance, and so is your example. How you love and honor her father, his priesthood, and his divine role will be reflected and perhaps amplified in your daughter’s attitudes and behavior.

I have two daughters, and Sister Dalton’s statement made me think about ways that I can set a better example for my girls in how I act as well as how I treat their father. I see myself in the way they act and react, and at times I see a need for change on both of our parts. But, as Sister Dalton said, they need to see me set the standard for their behavior.

 ‘What-e’er Thou Art, Act Well Thy Part’

Sister Dalton said women must remember that they are daughters of God and that they “have a significant role to play in building the kingdom of God.” She talked about an experience she had as a member of the Brigham Young University International Folk Dancers.

One summer our group had the unique privilege to tour the missions in Europe. It was a difficult summer for me because a few months earlier my father had unexpectedly passed away. While we were in Scotland, I felt especially alone and became discouraged. We danced at a chapel that night, and then after our performance we went next door to the mission home. As I proceeded up the walk, I saw a stone placed in a well-kept garden by the gate. On it I read the words, ‘What-e’er thou art, act well thy part.’ At that moment those words went deeply into my heart, and I felt the powers of heaven reach out and give me a message. I knew I was known by a loving Heavenly Father. I felt I was not alone. I stood in that garden with tears in my eyes. … That simple statement renewed my vision that Heavenly Father knew me and had a plan for my life, and the spirit I felt helped me understand that my part mattered.

As Women, ‘Our Part Matters’

As a stay-at-home mom, sometimes it is difficult to see that my contributions matter or even that I am contributing. But, as Sister Dalton explained, they do. She said:

As daughters of God we are each unique and different in our circumstances and experiences. And yet our part matters—because we matter. Our daily contributions of nurturing, teaching, and caring for others may seem mundane, diminished, difficult, and demeaning at times, and yet as we remember that first line in the Young Women theme—‘We are daughters of our Heavenly Father, who loves us’—it will make all the difference in our relationships and our responses.

Sister Dalton talked about her own mother’s example of standing as a witness to the Savior, Jesus Christ:

Recently my magnificent 92-year-old mother passed away. She left this mortal existence as she had lived—quietly. Her life was not what she had planned. Her husband, my father, passed away when he was 45, leaving her with three children—me and my two brothers. She lived 47 years as a widow. She supported our family by teaching school during the day and teaching piano lessons at night. She cared for her aging father, my grandfather, who lived next door. She made sure that each of us received a college education. In fact, she insisted on it so that we could be ‘contributors.’ And she never complained. She kept her covenants, and because she did, she called down the powers of heaven to bless our home and to send miracles. She relied on the power of prayer, priesthood, and covenant promises. She was faithful in her service to the Lord. Her steadfast devotion steadied us, her children. She often repeated the scripture: ‘I, the Lord, am bound when ye do what I say; but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise’ [Doctrine and Covenants 82:10]. That was her motto, and she knew it was true. She understood what it meant to be a covenant keeper. She was never recognized by the world. She didn’t want that. She understood who she was and whose she was—a daughter of God. Indeed, it can be said of our mother that she acted well her part.

 The Strength of Women

President Gordon B. Hinckley, past President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, said in 2004:

We must never lose sight of the strength of the women. … It is mothers who most directly affect the lives of their children. … It is mothers who nurture them and bring them up in the ways of the Lord. Their influence is paramount. …

They are the creators of life. They are the nurturers of children. They are the teachers of young women. They are our indispensable companions. They are our co-workers in building the kingdom of God. How great is their role, how marvelous their contribution” (Gordon B. Hinckley, “Standing Strong and Immovable, Worldwide Leadership Training Meeting, Jan. 10, 2004, 21).

Sister Dalton concluded:

In an extremely challenging world, … young women and women of this Church … are an influence for good. They are virtuous and exemplary, intelligent and industrious. They are making a difference because they are different. They are acting well their part.

Sister Dalton’s talk (as general conference addresses are often called in the Church) was inspiring and uplifting for me. As a Mormon woman, she reminded me that my part matters—because I matter.

Additional Resources:

Basic Mormon Beliefs and Real Mormons

You get up early in the morning and prepare to leave for work.  You grab a newspaper to read, then you switch off the fan and other electronic appliances.  You remember to take your supplements—they help you to fight infection.  Your day has hardly begun, yet you already have benefited from the influence of some notable men—the ones who harnessed electricity, developed paper and printing, and the scientists who formulated your vitamins.

Without question, the discoveries and innovations of a few men have enabled billions of people to have certain advantages or enjoy better health.

There is, however, one man who stands out above all others.  He is not known for any scientific discovery or medical breakthrough.  Rather, this man of humble background, who died nearly 2,000 years ago, left behind a message—a powerful message of hope and comfort.

When measured by the degree to which His message has affected the lives of people worldwide, many would agree that He truly is the man who changed the world.  That man was Jesus Christ, our Savior and Redeemer.

In the Book of Mormon, 1 Nephi 10:4, it says,

Yea, even 600 years from the time that my father left Jerusalem, a prophet would the Lord God raise up among the Jews—even a messiah, or in other words, a savior of the world.

Why is He our Savior and Redeemer?  The Holy Bible teaches us that God miraculously caused a virgin, Mary, to conceive the very Son of God.  Joseph acted the part of Jesus’ earthly father.  Jesus was born in Bethlehem and raised in Nazareth, and worked with His earthly father as a carpenter.  God sent His Son to become flesh and dwell among us.

The prophecy recorded in Daniel 9:24-26 foretold that the Messiah—God’s Anointed One—would be born in the insignificant town of Bethlehem; He would come to earth to terminate the effects of transgression and sin, to make atonement for error and to bring righteousness forever.  The Messiah would remove the possibility of spiritual and physical death from faithful mankind.

We see in the Book of Mormon, Helaman 14:15,

For behold, he surely must die that salvation may come, yea, it behooveth him and becometh expedient that he dieth to bring to pass the resurrection of the dead.  That thereby men may be brought into the presence of the Lord.

During Jesus’ time, the Holy Land was occupied by the Romans.  While the Romans controlled politics and society, the Pharisees controlled religion.  They claimed to believe in the writings of the Hebrew prophets, but they did not embrace this saying from Hosea 6:6.  If they were going to err, they made sure it would be on the side of obedience to tradition.

When Jesus turned thirty, he began a 3-year ministry of teaching, blessing, and healing the people of the Holy Land.  He also organized His church, and gave His apostles power and authority to assist in His work.  In Luke 9:1, we read,

Then He called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all the demons and to cure sickness.

In His early ministry, Jesus did not trumpet the fact that He was the Messiah, the Son of God.  He often allowed people to draw that conclusion for themselves by listening to His teachings, by observing His way of life, and by witnessing His many miracles, most of which were performed in public view.  He cured those of faith who were faring badly, distressed with various diseases, tormented.

We read in the Book of Mormon, Moroni 8:8,

Listen to the words of Christ, your redeemer, your Lord and your God.  Behold, I came into the world not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.  The whole need no physician, but they that are sick.  Wherefore, little children are whole, for they are not capable of committing sin, wherefore the curse of Adam is taken from them in me, that it hath no power over them, and the law of circumcision is done away in me.

But what does it mean when He says He is the Savior and Redeemer of the world?  Each of these titles points to the truth that Jesus Christ is the only way by which we can gain the presence of our Heavenly Father.  The Bible encourages us to have an accurate knowledge of our Savior, Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1:8).  We gain that knowledge by examining the Gospels.  They reveal the truth about Jesus, enabling us to separate myth from fact.  What do the Gospels tell us about Jesus Christ?

A confirmation of Jesus Christ while in the flesh came from the Father Himself at the time of Jesus’ baptism.  John the Baptist witnessed the heavens open, and heard the voice from heaven testify, “This is my Son, the Beloved, whom I have approved….”

Without a doubt, the greatest concern of mankind today should be the destiny of our souls.  The world is full of sinners.  It says in Romans 3:10 that we are all sinners.  Thankfully, God loves us and sent His Only Begotten, Jesus Christ, to die upon the cross for us.  Jesus suffered and was crucified for the sins of the world.  He ransomed Himself, giving each of God’s children the gift of repentance and forgiveness.  Only by His mercy and grace can anyone be saved.

We have to put our faith in the things Jesus taught us.  We need to know something about Him—what Jesus means to us, how Jesus suffered for us.  We need to know repentance, baptism, the gift of the Holy Ghost, and continuous Christian living.  In the Gospels we can receive answers from Jesus Himself.

I pray to our Heavenly Father through His Son, Jesus Christ whenever I’m in a bad situation, when I have work problems, family problems, or any other problems.  I am glad to be a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (often mistakenly called the Mormon Church).  I know I will be safe if I stay true to our Lord Jesus Christ.  We, His followers, partake of His mission on earth.  We can help with that mission.

I am a lonely person.  My house is often empty.  Sometimes you may feel yourself one of the earth’s loneliest creatures, but if you are a child of God, then you have the promise of the presence of Jesus Christ.  This is His promise to His followers.  He is with us always, even unto the end of the world.  Besides my love for His True Church, our Heavenly Father, and my Savior, I love my family, friends, colleagues, and the people at church.  I know the Church of Jesus Christ is true, the Book of Mormon is true, and that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God, in Christ’s name.

This article was written by Ang Teng Bee of Penang, Malaysia, a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The Lord Jesus Christ in Mormonism

Have you ever felt rushed at Christmas?  Do you ever find yourself just waiting for the weeks to be over so you can relax and enjoy that anticipated moments with family, only to find that it ends far too quickly?  For me, I wish I could start those memories long before December 25^th.  I wish I had more time to really reflect on the Lord Jesus Christ and ponder the significance of His birth and His life.

President Thomas S. Monson, the president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints spoke earlier this month saying,

The sweetest Christmas moments for me are hardly ever found in my Christmas cards, the gift-giving and receiving or the multitude of family dinners.  Though I love all of those events and treasure the innocence of my children, the highlights are clearly the times we all draw together and feel the spirit in our home.

I find tremendous purity and simplicity of purpose when I contemplate a small baby, the promised Messiah, finally coming into the world.  It makes me want to gather my family closer and talk about how our lives have been blessed because of Him and how wonderful their lives will become the more they pattern themselves after the Savior.

Dr. James Faulconer, a professor at Brigham Young University wrote,

I love how Dr. Faulconer talks about him “plunging in.”  Jesus Christ did not hesitate to take upon him life’s extremities and fulfill His divine role for mankind.  How comforting!  How extraordinary!  How worthy of so much more contemplation and time than I sometimes fail to give.  Could we not all spend a little more time this Christmas season devoting our activities towards becoming like Him?

Every year on Christmas Eve, my family and I watch the posted video below.  And I weep every time.  There is nothing of significance spoken during the film, it is purely the feelings.  I love when the wise men are in deep discussions over the maps and then the beautiful, emotional awareness that comes over the man when he sees the star.  And I love the people gathered around the baby, especially the little girl and the woman.  It makes me wonder how many people were instantly affected and knew of the importance of this event.

President Monson concludes his talk by saying,

May your Christmas this year be centered on the Savior, and may we strive more deeply to be like Him throughout the coming year.

Additional Resources:

Jesus Christ in Mormonism

“Becoming” a Mormon was a very slow and subtle process for me that I cannot put any actual date on. I was born into a Mormon family and attended The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints regularly– going to Primary (the children’s auxiliary), learning about the gospel and things unique to the LDS Church,without even realizing they were unique, and singing the hymns. I remember when I was four, it was very difficult for me to focus and sit still during the sacrament, and one day I told my mother that I hated church and I didn’t want to go anymore. She suddenly looked very sad, and I couldn’t understand why.

I was baptized at eight and was a very studious teen. I went to LDS seminary every morning and read through the entire Book of Mormon on my own for the first time at age 12. I felt very strongly that the Church was true, but it was also all I’d ever really known from a spiritual and religious perspective. I started coming of age, and started having doubts. Many of my friends were not LDS, and I started exploring their beliefs. I started feeling uncertain about what was true, who was right and who was wrong, and I became inactive during my college years– that universal time for self-discovery.

I went through a bit of a spiritual journey, searching for truth and happiness. I took college courses on world religions, even though they had nothing to do with my major, just out of curiosity, and I had philosophical and religious discussions with friends and associates from various religious backgrounds. All through my searching, I felt as though I had this inner divining rod telling me when something was true and when it wasn’t. Certain things just seemed to “fit”, while other things caused inner discord. Trusting this gut feeling, I put these things to the test. I, in a sense, planted seeds in my heart, nurtured them, and waited to see what fruit they would bring. I found both rotten fruit and sweet, and I followed the sweet.

I fully committed to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and “became” a Mormon about three years ago, when I saw and felt the obvious difference the gospel brought to my life. Living without the gospel, I felt lost and alone–like I was walking through foggy darkness and struggling to find my way. With the gospel, my pathway became bright, my mind was opened, and everything started coming together. In all my studying and searching, no other church or religion brought me this feeling. Sure I found pieces of truth, pieces of joy and strength, but nothing as fulfilling as what I’d had right in front of me my entire childhood.

Why did I become a Mormon? Because I feel in my heart and soul that it’s teachings are true, and that by following and committing to those teachings I will be able to progress and grow and improve. I know that this gospel will continue to be a blessing to me and my posterity, because it is true and because it gives us purpose and direction. There are no words to describe how much this truly encompasses my life and my very being. It is a part of who I am, it is who I am, and I could not, and would not change it, or have it any other way.

This article was written by Melissa, a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Additional Resources:

Basic Mormon Beliefs and Real Mormons

Jesus Christ in Mormonism

The Bible in Mormonism

I was baptized into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (sometimes mistakenly called the Mormon Church) when I was eight years old. Some would say I was born a Mormon. And they would be right, because culturally I am Mormon. Spiritually I became a Mormon when I was about 14 or 15 years old. The LDS Church is a church of converts. It doesn’t matter if you’re baptized at 8 years old or 48 years old, we all have to learn for ourselves and gain our own testimony.

As a young teenager I watched my Dad on Sunday mornings. He would sit in the living room and study the scriptures, while my Mom would be struggling to get 5 children ready for church. I was the oldest and didn’t understand what was so important that he wouldn’t help. He would get upset if we were late, but he wasn’t helping get anyone ready to go. My Dad cooked and helped out in other ways. He did dishes and took care of children. Why was studying the scriptures more important than helping Mom? I wanted to know what was so important, so I started to really study the scriptures. I put Moroni’s promise (Moroni 10:3-5) to the test. I asked my Heavenly Father if what I was reading, and studying, was true. I got my answer.

My answer to “Why I became a Mormon” is because I learned the Church is true. I received a spiritual witness that Joseph Smith is a prophet of God and he saw God the Father and His son Jesus Christ, and that the Book of Mormon is the word of God. I learned about my Savior. I learned about the Atonement. I found my own testimony.

This article was written by Alison, a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Additional Resources:

Mormon Missionaries

The Bible in Mormonism

The Lord Jesus Christ in Mormonism

As a lifelong member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (often referred to as the Mormon Church), I was taught by my parents at a young age about the law of tithing. The law of tithing, as you may already know, is that we give the tenth part of our annual increase to the Lord for the building up of His kingdom on earth. These tithes are used to build and maintain temples and church buildings, and to help with missionary work, among other things.

This is a law that I have never really questioned because I have seen the blessings it has brought to the lives of me and my family. My parents taught me to keep this law, and I practiced it as a young child. Growing up, my family was never what would be considered wealthy, but we always had the things we needed. As I have married and had my own family, I can see the blessings we have received because of faithfully paying our tithing.

One anecdote from my early married life as poor college students was that my husband needed a computer. So, with some money we had saved for that purpose, we went to the store and got a computer. When we later looked on our bank records, it showed that the money had been paid to the store for the computer, but that the store had then put that money right back into our account. We contacted the bank, and they were adamant that the store had put the money back. We contacted the store, and they were adamant that they had been paid for the computer. We feel that this was a blessing to us because we had been faithful in paying our tithing.

I know through my parents’ examples, and my own experience, we will be blessed when we pay our tithing. It is not always an easy commandment to keep. Tithing is a way to show our obedience to and trust in God. We may not ever become wealthy, but we will have the things we need and may be blessed in other ways that we may not even recognize. The Lord has given us everything! All He asks in return is a tenth part. I feel tithing is a great way to show our gratitude to the Lord for all we have from Him each and every day.

This article was written by Connie, a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Additional Resources:

Mormon Giving

Mormon Self-Reliance

Basic Mormon Beliefs and Real Mormons

Hartman Rector, Jr. and his wife Connie were baptized into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in February of 1952. Seventeen years later, he was called as a General Authority into the First Council of the Seventy for the Church. He has spent his life in devotion to our Savior, Jesus Christ, and wrote a book compiling many conversion stories. Each story is unique and compelling. One story he recounts is of Bill Wait:

Not everyone receives the gospel through formally-called missionaries. Sometimes it comes from a friend or a family member. Bill Wait received it through his older brother.

At first, however, he rejected it. “Tough, irreverent and worldly,” in the U. S. Navy in World War II he had no need for religion and was embarrassed by his brother’s conversion. Returning to civilian life he continued his search for “happiness” with the same attitude.

Bill Wait held out against the truth for seven years. This unembellished story of what made him change and how he found true happiness in Jesus Christ is not only of great intrinsic interest but will serve to encourage Church members whose loved ones have so far not felt to join them in their allegiance to the gospel.

Bill had grown up in a home where church service was every Sunday, but he never wanted to go. He described his brother as being more spiritually inclined then he was. His brother had carried a Bible around and desired to be married. That was his dream, but he didn’t think he would ever marry, because he thought he would die in World War II. His brother went and saw the Laie Temple in Hawaii and read a pamphlet on eternal marriage, which brought him to the waters of baptism. From that point forward he tried to get his brother to join as well. In his own words Bill says:

By this time, I was in New Guinea aboard a rusty old Navy ship. I, too, had quit high school and left home on my seventeenth birthday. I was homesick and discouraged, for I had left thinking that I would become a Navy hero aboard a destroyer or a submarine. But I was swinging around the hook in Madang, New Guinea, and cursing the heat, the ship, and the war. My brother’s letter to me arrived with a package. I had hoped for goodies from Hawaii, but out dropped a book of scriptures. I was embarrassed in front of my friends to be receiving such a package, for we were tough, irreverent and worldly men. That night, I placed that Book of Mormon and some equipment of my shore-based days in the sea bag, and in the dark of the night I dropped it over the fan tail and gave the gospel light the “deep six.” My search was for happiness, and I thought that it was not to be found in church.

The months rolled into years, and finally the war was over. My brother went home, and within a short while he was called on a full-time mission for the Church.

I had many months yet to serve on my enlistment, but finally we were all home as a family unit. I had been embarrassed in explaining to friends that my brother was a missionary. My concept was far different from what he had experienced. It was now my turn to hear, firsthand, his testimony and the plan of salvation. He wanted me to be baptized and join him in the kingdom of God. I was frustrated and disturbed by his strong desire. I tried to avoid him and continued my search for “happiness.”

[After the war, I had joined the Los Angeles Fire Department.] One night as we responded to an alarm of fire, a friend of mine, reporting from another engine house, fell off the tailboard of his truck and was killed. The alarm was false, and the futility of this tragedy, the return of war, and my futile search for happiness weighed heavily on me through the remainder of that night. When I was relieved of duty the next morning, I walked the streets of Los Angeles to where my friend had died.

Here, on Skid Row, as the smog hung heavily in the air, I found the tragedy of death which is a lack of reverence for life. All about me there was the stifling stench of sin. Obscenities were crudely written on the walls of the ugly buildings. Drunks were lying on the sidewalks, and the paddy wagon was making its morning rounds. The newspapers on the racks gave detailed accounts of the battle dead in Korea, and my thoughts filled me with despair.

I walked down the street and prayed to God to know why I was alive, and with all the energy of my soul I told him that I wanted a reason for life, or I wanted death. And, at twenty-four, I would have welcomed a release from mortal life.

But in answer to my sincere prayer I was overwhelmed with a desire to read the books that my brother had been urging me to read for the past seven years.

Now, each morning as I left work I went to the library and read the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, the Pearl of Great Price, and the New Testament. I knew that what I read was true; the Holy Ghost bombed me with the gospel of Jesus Christ, and I knew of a surety that the words were true. I was filled with despair at the exquisite memory of the wasted years of my life in search for happiness. But at the same time I was filled with an even greater joy, with the sure knowledge that God lives, and that Jesus is the Christ, and that Joseph Smith is a true prophet of God.

I began attending church, where I found not only the love of the Latter-day Saints, but also the love of the girl who was to become my eternal mate. Soon I was baptized and confirmed a member of the Church by my brother who had tried patiently and long to bring this great truth to me. Not long after, he baptized and confirmed my mother and my father. Soon we were sealed for time and all eternity to one another. A far greater security than I had ever known was ours. The true happiness which I had sought was found in its only source—a testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

There is a search for happiness that is within each of us. We can all come to find that happiness. God has prepared a way for that to happen. He knows our needs and is looking to help us come unto Him. The way can be made light and we can find happiness. The teachings of the gospel of Jesus Christ offer the greatest security in this life.

This article was written by Mady Clawson, a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Mady Clawson is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (ʺMormonʺ single adult), with a zest for the gospel. She currently studies English, with an emphasis in Professional Writing and Communications at BYU-Idaho.

Additional Resources:

Agnostic or Believer?

Worship with Mormons

The Meaning of Life

Hartman Rector, Jr. and his wife Connie were baptized into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in February of 1952. Seventeen years later, he was called as a General Authority into the First Council of the Seventy for the  LDS Church. He has spent his life in devotion to our Savior, Jesus Christ, and wrote a book compiling many conversion stories. Each story is unique and compelling. One story he recounts is of Immo Luschin Von Ebengreuth:

A full-time translator for the Church in Frankfurt, Germany, Immo is a well-educated man who speaks five languages and has studied both medicine and law at the University of Graz, Austria, his home town. He has always been deeply religious. Blessed with a happy marriage which they had deliberately oriented toward religion, Immo and his wife could not accept that that marriage must end at death. In their thoughtful and prayerful approach they found other basic problems too which were not answered by their Roman Catholic faith. For all that, they were reluctant to seek answers outside of their religion.

In his words, Ebengreuth said:

For several months prior to our wedding, my fiancé and I spent our evenings discussing every phase of our future. Among other things, we decided that we would make religion a very substantial part of our marriage. Our children, we felt, would have to be protected from the evils of the world, and this could best be done by making religion the foundation of our moral lives.

On the day of our wedding, a beautiful September morning in 1947, we went to confession, partook of the sacrament of the Eucharist, and were married. We tried to be in harmony with all the ritual injunctions of the Roman Catholic Church. As our four children came along, each was baptized within the week of its birth; later we taught them to pray to our Father in Heaven and went to church with them every Sunday.

After some six years of continued happiness in our married life, I said to Helmi one evening, “You know, I don’t believe that we shall be separated in the hereafter, as the priest who married us said we would be. We shall be together forever.” “But how could this be possible?” she asked.

“I do not know. But one thing I know for sure. If they don’t have this kind of provision yet, they must invent it for our sake.”

One day Helmi was watering and weeding the flower beds [when two Mormon missionaries came] and persuaded her to be seated with them at a nearby table in our garden. They asked her permission to open the discussion with prayer. They asked her about her family, introduced religious matters, and started questioning her. Helmi warded off all inquiry by telling them that they should come back on Saturday when her husband would be home. They then again offered prayer. Helmi says, “This is the thing which impressed me most, and for many years will be stamped into my mind. They included me and my children in their prayer, asking him to bless us and to look after our needs.”

I scarcely paid attention when, on Saturday morning, she told me that two young men, possibly Americans, would come at 2 p.m. and try to see me. At two o’clock I was in my downstairs workshop, working on a birthday present for Helmi, when the doorbell rang.

“Good day. We are missionaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and we have a very important message to impart to you,” said one. He introduced himself as Elder Bryner and his companion as Elder Johnson.

“We want to tell you that there is a living prophet of the Lord today,” he continued, “and that the full gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored in our day and age by a modern prophet, Joseph Smith.”

Immo was very uninterested, but after a series of discussions, he came to find that the missionaries had brought him the truth. All of his questions concerning marriage beyond this life were answered. He said: “The elders knew an answer to every question I had; and what is more, it was the right answer, the one I had been looking for all along. I felt as if I was approaching my old hometown after many years of absence. At the conclusion of their second visit the elders asked me to kneel with them and offer the prayer, which I did.” Throughout these discussions, Immo and his family were slowly convinced of the truthfulness of the gospel:

August 28, 1960. This day I was baptized by Elder David F. Johnson, and was confirmed a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by Elder Lowell L. Bryner.

Helmi was baptized two weeks later; the two older children, Astrid, 12, and Hanno, 10, after three months of instruction, were baptized in December of the same year. Gero, who was then 7 years old, and Iris, 5, were later baptized by myself when they were old enough to be baptized.

The most important day in my life, and in Helmi’s life, was the 21st of August, 1961, when we were sealed for time and all eternity in the temple which is located in Switzerland. And I know that if we prove true and faithful, we will not be separated in the hereafter.

I knew this was the truth; I had known it all along. But someone had to come and show it to me by breaking down the walls which tradition and other worldly considerations had built around me. Someone had to be courageous and persistent enough to disregard my reluctance to do as the Lord wanted me to do.

Someone had to tell me. Thank God for the missionaries.

The Lord has called chosen servants in this day and age to bring His gospel to His children. Missionaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are called of God and have a message for you. The truth that we are all yearning for is out there. Life does not have to be confusing. I invite you to meet with the Mormon missionaries so that you can receive the blessings of the gospel of Jesus Christ and find peace and solace in the plan of our Father in Heaven.

This article was written by Mady Clawson, a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Mady Clawson is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (ʺMormonʺ single adult), with a zest for the gospel. She currently studies English, with an emphasis in Professional Writing and Communications at BYU-Idaho.

Additional Resources:

Mormon Missionaries

Mormons Answer Hard Questions

Worship with Mormons

The scriptures say that all things testify that there is a God (Alma 30:41). One Mormon scientist, a convert from atheism, said it takes more faith to rely on science than to believe God is in control.

Those who are certain that God is real are they who have had direct experience with Him. These spiritual experiences tend to imprint upon one’s soul more deeply than earthly experience. In many ways they seem more real.

When Mormon missionaries first asked me to pray, I didn’t quite know how to go about it. If anyone had asked me before that moment whether I believed in God, I would have answered in the affirmative, I think because I was raised in a believing society, and the idea just seemed natural. But I had no definition of God, and could not have named His attributes, nor could I have told you how He works, or if He was a personal God, or not. My first prayer was essentially, “Is there anybody up there”?

Something flowed through me in response. It was comprised of love, peace, recognition, and approval. It came from above, and when it did, I knew. I knew not only that there was a God, but that He loved me personally and was there at the very instant I called upon Him. He has personally been involved in my life ever since.

The Holy Ghost has spoken to me on many occasions in language I would never shape in my own conversation. His words, conveying the message of the Father and His Beloved Son, imprint and remain to anchor one’s faith. You feel, as much as hear, his words. It was a warm but windy Santa Barbara night when I prayed to know whether I should “wait” for a young man leaving on a Mormon mission. “He’s going to be the father of your children,” the Holy Ghost said with a force that nearly took away my footing. That experience gave me strength and patience to hang in there for three years, until a relationship began to bear fruit and we were married.

In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, often mistakenly called the “Mormon Church,” most worthy men hold the “priesthood.” In the Church of Jesus Christ, “priesthood” is the power and authority to act in God’s name. Men who hold the Melchizedek Priesthood are able to give blessings of comfort and healing by the laying on of hands, and God has manifested Himself to me very personally in these blessings. Through them, He has given me an inkling of who I was before I was born to earthly parents, and who I can be after I leave this earthly existence. He has also told me a lot about my children and who they will be as adults.

I have learned that He knows us better than we know ourselves, better than anyone knows us, and that He want s us to allow Him to make of us what would be impossible without His full involvement. Although He is all powerful, He is also all personal. I have learned that He is ever more involved and quick to hear when we are the most dedicated to keeping His commandments, praying often, and studying the scriptures. I have learned that the distractions of the world can keep us from feeling His love every minute. Over the years, as I have turned my self about in His direction and away from the world’s, I have been aware of Him and received His guidance constantly.

I testify that God is not only our Creator, but our real Father in Heaven, who loves us so personally, He is like an affectionate, all-wise, Father to us. The more we turn to Him and abandon our attachment to those things that are impermanent, the more He speaks to us, guides us, heals and comforts us.

Additional Resources:

Jesus Christ in Mormonism

Mormon Scripture

Worship with Mormons