Day 09 – Your Beliefs

I'm a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I believe in our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. I believe that a man named Joseph Smith, as a 14 year old boy, asked Heavenly Father which Church to join and was told to join none of them because not one held the full truth. He would later go on to translate the Book of Mormon and restore the full Gospel back onto the earth. He was the first prophet of the Latter Days. We currently have a living prophet named Thomas S. Monson on the earth today and leading the Church.

Our basic beliefs are laid out in the 13 Articles of Faith that were written by Joseph Smith:

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 an 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 the word of God as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to 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 Almight God according the 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 loverly, of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.

So, there are the basics and the basis of my beliefs. For more information you can visit Mormon.org or the Church's website.

I just also wanted to add that I know I'm a daughter of my Heavenly Father and that he loves and cares for me. I believe that we are all sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father and that Jesus Christ was our brother and suffered and died for each of us that one day we can all return home. I have the opportunity to be with my family not only in this life but through eternity. I know he has set out a plan for me and I'm striving each day to follow His will and to choose the right. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.