It's hard for me to understand how people can think that "Mormonism" is evil. If you know any Mormons at all, you can tell that they're not anything like the Satan-worshipping cult-members that anti-Mormons claim we are. To put it plainly, we do have different doctrine than many Christian denominations, but everything we teach is designed to bring us closer to God and strive to be more Christlike. Like the Prophet Nephi said in the Book of Mormon, "we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ... that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins." (2 Nephi 25:26) If we're wrong, then we're wrong, and it doesn't matter what we teach anyways. But I, and several others like me, know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is true, and I know that by abiding by its precepts, we can grow closer to our Heavenly Father and eventually live with Him again someday. The following are the basic beliefs and history of the LDS Church. Official LDS Church information can be found at www.mormon.org/ under the "Basic Beliefs" section. The "Articles of Faith" on my Home Page is also official LDS Church information.

History

God sent his son Jesus Christ to the earth to teach the people and fulfill the Atonement. However, due to the wickedness of the people and their agency, they rejected to pure word of God.

The people crucified their Lord Jesus Christ and killed the apostles. God gave everyone agency (see the Plan of Salvation below) and He respected that agency. The people chose to reject the gospel, and because of the choices they made, the fullness of the gospel was taken from the earth for a time.

God, being a God of love and mercy, called another prophet to restore his gospel and Priesthood to the earth. The Prophet he called was Joseph Smith, Jr.

Joseph Smith lived in Palmyra, New York, in 1820, during a time of religious excitement. In his own words, he explains what is known to the world as "The First Vision":

"So great were the confusion and strife among the different denominations, that it was impossible for a person young as I was . . . to come to any certain conclusion who was right and who was wrong. . . . In the midst of this war of words and tumult of opinions, I often said to myself: What is to be done? Who of all these parties are right; or, are they all wrong together? If any one of them be right, which is it, and how shall I know it?

While I was laboring under the extreme difficulties caused by the contests of these parties of religionists, I was one day reading the Epistle of James, first chapter and fifth verse, which reads: If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

Never did any passage of scripture come with more power to the heart of man than this did at this time to mine. It seemed to enter with great force into every feeling of my heart. I reflected on it again and again, knowing that if any person needed wisdom from God, I did; for how to act I did not know.

At length I came to the conclusion that I must either remain in darkness and confusion, or else I must do as James directs, that is, ask of God. I at length came to the determination to “ask of God,” concluding that if he gave wisdom to them that lacked wisdom, and would give liberally, and not upbraid, I might venture.

After I had retired to the place where I had previously designed to go, having looked around me, and finding myself alone, I kneeled down and began to offer up the desires of my heart to God. . . . I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me. . . . When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!

My object in going to inquire of the Lord was to know which of all the sects was right, that I might know which to join. I was answered that I must join none of them, for they were all wrong." ( Joseph Smith—History 1:8,10-19).

Joseph Smith saw God the Father and his son, Jesus Christ, and they did in reality speak to him. He then commenced to bring forth the fullness of the true gospel.

He was visited by the angel Moroni and told that there was an ancient record of the inhabitants of America, written on gold plates, buried in a hill near his home. He was told to retrieve the plates and God would provide a way for him to translate them.

Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon, which contains the fullness of the everlasting gospel, through the gift and power of God.

Just as the Bible is a record of the descendants of Judah in Jerusalem, the Book of Mormon is a record of the descendants of Joseph in the Americas. They both testify of Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father.

Ezekiel 37:16,19 states, "Moreover, thou son of man, take thee one stick, and write upon it, For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions: then take another stick, and write upon it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel his companions. . . . Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel his fellows, and will put them with him, even with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they shall be one in mine hand."

The Book of Mormon (3 Nephi 11) contains an account of Jesus Christ's visit to the American continent.

John 10:16 states, "And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd." (See also 3 Nephi 15:16-18,21-22)

In 1829, John the Baptist appeared unto Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery and conferred upon them the Aaronic, or lesser, Priesthood. This gave them the authority to perform the ordinance of baptism and blessing and passing of the sacrament.

Shortly after, Peter, James, and John, appeared unto them and conferred the Melchizedek, or higher, Priesthood upon them. This gave them the authority to bestow the gift of the Holy Ghost, as well as to preside over the church and perform all the ordinances.

On April 6, 1830, with this newly restored Priesthood authority, the same Church of Jesus Christ that existed centuries ago was organized and restored by Joseph Smith.

Just as in the days of Christ, people again rejected the pure word of God. All throughout the history of the Church, the Mormons have been severely persecuted because of their beliefs. Men and women were driven out of their homes by mobs, men were tarred and feathered, and the Extermination Order, issued by the Missouri governor, even made it legal to drive the Mormons out of the state, by force or murder. They were driven from state to state, and eventually left that area of the United States for Utah.

On June 27, 1844, in Carthage Jail, Illinois, Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum were killed by an armed mob of about 150 to 200 persons. John Taylor, who was with them in the jail, said of Joseph, "Joseph Smith, the Prophet and Seer of the Lord, has done more, save Jesus only, for the salvation of men in this world, than any other man that ever lived in it." (D&C 135:3)

The hope of the mob was that with the Mormon prophet dead, the Church would die off also. But their hope was in vain, for the truth of God shall go forth. As of June 25, 2007, there are 13 million members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints worldwide.

Beliefs

The Plan of Salvation

Before this mortal existence, we all lived with God in what is known as the "Premortal Existence."

He allowed all of us to gain a physical body and come to earth to be tested. He knew that we would have to leave Him for a little while in order to learn and grow and become like Him.

Under the direction of Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ created the earth as a place for us to spend our mortal existence. On the earth we are away from God's physical presence, and we do not remember our pre-earth life. Therefore, we must walk by faith and not sight.

He also created man in his own image. God said in the Old Testament, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness." (Genesis 1:26) We learn from this that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ have bodies and look like us.

He gave man agency, and Adam and Eve used that agency to partake of the forbidden fruit. Because of that, man gained the knowledge of good and evil, and all men became free to choose as they would. They also became subject to physical death as well as spiritual death.

God knew that with our agency, we would sometimes make bad choices, so He provided a way for us to overcome our weaknesses and be forgiven.

So God sent his son, Jesus Christ, to the earth as the ultimate sacrifice for mankind. Christ suffered in Gethsemane and was crucified in Calvary to fulfill the Atonement. This sacrifice redeemed all mankind from the fall of Adam, and because of it, we can overcome physical death and spiritual death.

We can be forgiven and cleansed through the Atonement so we may one day be worthy to enter the kingdom of our Heavenly Father.

Ultimately, the goal of the this life is to gain knowledge and experience to help us become like Heavenly Father. We are to walk by faith in Jesus Christ and follow his teachings.

After death, your spirit will leave your body and go to the spirit world. You will remember your life on earth, and your personality and desire for good or evil will not be changed.

Those who did not have the opportunity to learn about the gospel on earth will be taught it in the spirit world. Jesus preached to those in the spirit world before he was resurrected. (1 Peter 3:18-19)

Because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, we will all be resurrected, and our bodies will be reunited with our spirits, never to be separated again. You will remain in the spirit world until you are resurrected.

Everyone, whether righteous or wicked, will be given the gift of immortality.

When you are resurrected, you will be brought into God's presence to be judged according to your faith, works, and desires. You will have a perfect memory of all your righteousness and guilt.

After being judged you will go to any of three kingdoms of glory: the Celestial Kingdom, the Terrestrial Kingdom, or the Telestial Kingdom.

The Holy Ghost is the only member of the Godhead that resides in the Telestial Kingdom. The Holy Ghost and Jesus Christ reside in the Terrestrial Kingdom, and all three members of the Godhead, Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost, reside in the Celestial Kingdom.

Other Beliefs

In order to gain salvation, one must (1) have faith in Jesus Christ, (2) repent, (3) be baptized by one having the Priesthood, (4) receive the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands by one holding the Priesthood, and (5) endure to the end.

We take the sacrament every Sunday, and it is blessed and passed by those holding the Aaronic Priesthood.

The Godhead consists of three beings: God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost. They are three separate beings, although one in purpose. (See John 17:20-22) God and Jesus Christ have bodies of flesh and bone, and the Holy Ghost is a personage of spirit, or else it could not dwell in our hearts. (See D&C 130:22)

We believe in building Temples, like in the Bible, to worship God and receive special blessings. The sacred ordinances of the gospel that are performed in the temple are performed both for the living and for the dead.

Two of the ordinances in the temple are baptism and confirmation for the dead. Worthy members may go to the temple and be baptized and confirmed, by the power of the Priesthood, in the name of the person who is dead. (See 1 Corinthians 15:29) Through this work, those who are in the spirit world who have accepted the gospel will be able to progress towards Heavenly Father's kingdom.

Also performed in temples are sealings of for time and all eternity. Marriages in the temple are not just "til death do you part," but they are for eternity. This work is also performed in the name of people who have passed on.

Only worthy members of the Church may enter the House of the Lord, because "the Lord cannot dwell in unholy temples." (D&C 97:17) The ordinances performed are of the utmost sacredness, therefore cannot be made known to the world, because the world would mock them. (Also see Psalms 24:3-5)

Unlike the Temple, anyone can enter the normal meetinghouses that are located in their city or town. Everyone is welcome to attend the meetings there to worship and learn about God.

We hold the family as a sacred and very important part of God's plan. See "The Family: A Proclamation to the World" in the "Downloads" section for more details.

Please visit www.lds.org and www.mormon.org for more information.