Corban
Member
We are all the children of our Heavenly Father. God loves us and cares for us. Through His Son Jesus Christ He has prepared a way for us to return to live with Him. God wants all His children to know of Christ. The bible shows us that God has always taught His children through prophets, holy men chosen by God to declare His word. God has again spoke in our day, He continues to speak to His children through prophets. This began with the prophet Joseph Smith.
In 1820 Joseph Smith was just 14 years old. He lived in upper state New York, in a place historians call the burned over region, because of the large religious activity. Joseph believed in God, but was confused by the great number of churches who all taught from the Bible, but taught different things about God. He wanted to follow God, but didn't know what to believe. One day while reading the Bible he read James 1:5 wich says 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. Joseph decided to do as the Bible said, to find truth he would ask God.
Early one morning Joseph went to a grove of trees near his house to pray and to ask God what to believe. He kneeled down and began to pray. In his own words this is what happened "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 spoke unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other-This is My Belved Son. Hear Him.
In answer to his prayer God the Father and Jesus Christ appeared to Joseph Smith. Through this and other experiences he was called as a prophet of God. He was much like Moses, or Abraham, or other prophets, they too saw God and were called to proclaim his message.
Joseph Smith did not say, I read the bible and I believe differently so I'll start a church. He said, I saw God, I talked to God, and this is what He said. The world has been in a state of confusion for many years, even with the word of God as found in the Bible many are led astray and many don't know what to believe. God has spoken in our day, he continues to speak through modern prophets, the truths of God are made manifest by God Himself to His prophets. This is the Church of Jesus Christ, He stands at the head, and He directs it be revelation to His servants.
One role Joseph played as God's prophet was to bring forth the Book of Mormon. The Book of Mormon is a record of God's dealings with the people of the Americas. Their record was hidden in the ground and brought forth in our day as the Book of Mormon.
The first prophet of the Book of Mormon was a man named Lehi. Lehi lived in Jerusalem around 600 B.C. God called him as a prophet to warn the people of thier coming destruction and captivity. Before the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians God directed Lehi and his family to leave Jerusalem, He guided them across the ocean to a land of promise, the Americas. God called prophets among these people and taught to them the truths of His gospel. After the death, resurection, and ascension of Jesus Christ, Christ appeared to these people and this is included in their record. The records of all the prophets were compiled by a prophet historian named Mormon, hence the book has been called the Book of Mormon. It stands as another testament of Jesus Christ.
The Bible teaches of God, by reading the words of God we can come to know Him. We learn more as we read the testimony of many witnesses. We learn of the life of Christ by reading the writings of Mathew, Mark, Luke, and John, their words support each other and shed greater light on the life of Christ, by reading all their words together we can learn more. The Book of Mormon also teaches of Christ, by reading its words we can come to know God, the Bible and the Book of Mormon were both written by Holy men called as prophets, they both stand as a testimony of Jesus Christ.
Christ restored to the earth His church through the prophet Joseph Smith, He also restored His priesthood, or the authority to act in His name. John the Baptist bestowed the lesser or aronic priesthood on Joseph Smith. A Short time later the higher or Melchezidic priesthood was restored by the hands of Peter James and John. The power of God is again on the earth.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is led today by a prophet of God, he continues to speak. The message of this church is that God lives, He loves His children, He desires all to come unto Him and learn of Him.
In 1820 Joseph Smith was just 14 years old. He lived in upper state New York, in a place historians call the burned over region, because of the large religious activity. Joseph believed in God, but was confused by the great number of churches who all taught from the Bible, but taught different things about God. He wanted to follow God, but didn't know what to believe. One day while reading the Bible he read James 1:5 wich says 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. Joseph decided to do as the Bible said, to find truth he would ask God.
Early one morning Joseph went to a grove of trees near his house to pray and to ask God what to believe. He kneeled down and began to pray. In his own words this is what happened "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 spoke unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other-This is My Belved Son. Hear Him.
In answer to his prayer God the Father and Jesus Christ appeared to Joseph Smith. Through this and other experiences he was called as a prophet of God. He was much like Moses, or Abraham, or other prophets, they too saw God and were called to proclaim his message.
Joseph Smith did not say, I read the bible and I believe differently so I'll start a church. He said, I saw God, I talked to God, and this is what He said. The world has been in a state of confusion for many years, even with the word of God as found in the Bible many are led astray and many don't know what to believe. God has spoken in our day, he continues to speak through modern prophets, the truths of God are made manifest by God Himself to His prophets. This is the Church of Jesus Christ, He stands at the head, and He directs it be revelation to His servants.
One role Joseph played as God's prophet was to bring forth the Book of Mormon. The Book of Mormon is a record of God's dealings with the people of the Americas. Their record was hidden in the ground and brought forth in our day as the Book of Mormon.
The first prophet of the Book of Mormon was a man named Lehi. Lehi lived in Jerusalem around 600 B.C. God called him as a prophet to warn the people of thier coming destruction and captivity. Before the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians God directed Lehi and his family to leave Jerusalem, He guided them across the ocean to a land of promise, the Americas. God called prophets among these people and taught to them the truths of His gospel. After the death, resurection, and ascension of Jesus Christ, Christ appeared to these people and this is included in their record. The records of all the prophets were compiled by a prophet historian named Mormon, hence the book has been called the Book of Mormon. It stands as another testament of Jesus Christ.
The Bible teaches of God, by reading the words of God we can come to know Him. We learn more as we read the testimony of many witnesses. We learn of the life of Christ by reading the writings of Mathew, Mark, Luke, and John, their words support each other and shed greater light on the life of Christ, by reading all their words together we can learn more. The Book of Mormon also teaches of Christ, by reading its words we can come to know God, the Bible and the Book of Mormon were both written by Holy men called as prophets, they both stand as a testimony of Jesus Christ.
Christ restored to the earth His church through the prophet Joseph Smith, He also restored His priesthood, or the authority to act in His name. John the Baptist bestowed the lesser or aronic priesthood on Joseph Smith. A Short time later the higher or Melchezidic priesthood was restored by the hands of Peter James and John. The power of God is again on the earth.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is led today by a prophet of God, he continues to speak. The message of this church is that God lives, He loves His children, He desires all to come unto Him and learn of Him.