What I Believe

My neighbor was baptized a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints last month. This is my church. It is the church I have gone to since birth. This is the first time I have experienced one of my friends who wasn't already a member get baptized. What a glorious day it was for both her and me.  It was not an easy decision for her. She did not take the decision lightly. My neighbor was born and raised in China. There they are taught from birth that there is no God or Christ. When she moved to the states as an adult it took her 5 years of living here to become a Christian. Afer her son was born she realized she needed more.

Over several months the sister missionaries, The Doctor, and I worked to teach my neighbor the Gospel. I could see how certain Gospel principles rang true with in her. I could see how her spirit was lifted as she learned the Plan of Happiness. What really impressed her was the Church's views on family.

After studying and praying she knew the Church was true and she wanted to be baptized. She invited many of her co-workers to her baptism. Most of them declined because they thought she was crazy. They even told her they couldn't step foot into a Mormon building. I think they thought they would be cursed for doing so. The thought occured to me that there fear came from a lack of knowledge. A lack of knowing the truth of what we believe because many other religions preach falsities about what we believe. So it is with this in mind that I have decided to do a post about what I believe, what members of my Church believe. There are 13 basic principles, or Articles of Faith that we believe.

1. We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.           
2. We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam’s transgression.
3. We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.
4. We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are: first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance; third, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.
5. We believe that a man must be called of God, by prophecy, and by the laying on of hands by those who are in authority, to preach the Gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof.
6. We believe in the same organization that existed in the Primitive Church, namely, apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists, and so forth.
7. We believe in the gift of tongues, prophecy, revelation, visions, healing, interpretation of tongues, and so forth.
8. We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God. 
9. We believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God. 
10. We believe in the literal gathering of Israel and in the restoration of the Ten Tribes; that Zion (the New Jerusalem) will be built upon the American continent; that Christ will reign personally upon the earth; and, that the earth will be renewed and receive its paradisiacal glory. 
11. We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may. 
12. We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law. 
13. 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.

Those are the basic principles of my faith. Over the next several weeks I will post on each individual Article of Faith and give further details about each one. Should you have any questions please do not hesitate to ask. Asking questions is how we gain knowledge. I will try and answer to the best of my ability or refer you to someone who could better answer your question.