Jesus is the suffering Resurrected Living Christ, Yeshua, The Holy Messiah, who honors Our Father in Heaven by keeping His commandments, and who soon will come in power and great glory to usher in His great Millennial Reign as King of kings and Lord of lords. The Holy Bible testifies that Jesus is the Resurrected Christ. The Holy Book of Mormon, a Bible of peoples who lived in the Western Hemisphere, is another witness that Jesus is the Christ, the Holy Messiah.

Jesus is The Holy Living Christ Messiah. I invite you to repent of your sins, be baptized, be confirmed a member of The True Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and receive The Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands, which will help you live a more holy, happy, peaceful life.

I invite you to call right now 1-801-240-1000 in order to arrange to visit with the missionaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. You can also reach the missionaries via the website https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/comeuntochrist/easter-2021/talk-with-missionaries. And for more details about the Church see www.lds.org.

Richard W. Linford, member

Jesus is The Holy Living Christ Messiah. Learn about God the son, and God our Father to whom we pray in the holy name of Jesus Christ.

Call now to meet with member missionaries, learn more, attend Church, and arrange to be baptized in the next week or so.

Learn now about God the Father https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/gospel-topics/god-the-father?lang=eng

Overview

God the Father is the Supreme Being in whom we believe, whom we worship, and to whom we pray. He is the ultimate Creator, Ruler, and Preserver of all things. He is perfect, has all power, and knows all things. He “has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as man’s” (Doctrine and Covenants 130:22).

The Father of Our Spirits

One of life’s great questions is “Who am I?” A beloved Primary song helps even little children answer this question. We sing, “I am a child of God, and he has sent me here.” The knowledge that we are children of God provides strength, comfort, and hope.

Scholars have long acknowledged that the view of God held by the earliest Christians changed dramatically over the course of centuries. Early Christian views of God were more personal, more anthropomorphic, and less abstract than those that emerged later during Christianity’s creedal stage. The key ideological shift that began in the second century, after the loss of apostolic authority, resulted from a conceptual merger of Christian doctrine with Greek philosophy.

Latter-day Saints believe the melding of early Christian theology with Greek philosophy was a grave error. Chief among the doctrines lost in this process was the nature of the Godhead. Latter-day Saints hold that God the Father is an embodied being with the attributes ascribed by the earliest Christians. That belief is consistent with the early Christian views of God, yet it differs from the later creeds.

We are all literally children of God, spiritually begotten in the premortal life. As His children, we can be assured that we have divine, eternal potential and that He will help us in our sincere efforts to reach that potential.

The Supreme Creator

Heavenly Father is the Supreme Creator. Through Jesus Christ, He created heaven and earth and all things in them (see Moses 2:1). Alma said, “All things denote there is a God; yea, even the earth, and all things that are upon the face of it, yea, and its motion, yea, and also all the planets which move in their regular form do witness that there is a Supreme Creator” (Alma 30:44).

The Author of the Plan of Salvation

Our Father in Heaven wants us to dwell with Him eternally. His work and glory is “to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man” (Moses 1:39). In order to make this possible, He prepared the plan of salvation. He sent His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ, to loose the bands of death and atone for the sins of the world: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). This sacrifice is the greatest expression of our Father’s love for us.

Coming to Know God the Father

As children of God, we have a special relationship with Him, setting us apart from all His other creations. We should seek to know our Father in Heaven. He loves us, and He has given us the precious opportunity to draw near to Him as we pray. Our prayers, offered in humility and sincerity, are heard and answered.

We can also come to know our Father by learning about His Beloved Son and applying the gospel in our lives. The Savior taught His disciples: “If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also. … He that hath seen me hath seen the Father” (John 14:7, 9).

We draw near to God the Father as we study the scriptures and the words of latter-day prophets and as we give service. When we follow God’s will and live as He would have us live, we become more like Him and His Son. We prepare ourselves to return to live in Their presence.

Jesus is The Holy Living Christ Messiah

Call now to meet with member missionaries, learn more, attend Church, and arrange to be baptized in the next week or so.

Learn Christ’s gospel and join His True Church and receive Our Savior’s peace and His promised eternal life.

As a member of Christ’s true Church, I invite you to learn Christ’s True Gospel and be baptized by immersion, and receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands, and join The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Richard Linford.
To enjoy our Savior Jesus Christ’s promised peace and eternal life, to meet with missionaries and join Christ’s true Church, I invite you to call right now 1-801-240-1000 in order to arrange to visit with the missionaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. You can also reach the missionaries via the website https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/comeuntochrist/easter-2021/talk-with-missionaries. And for more details about the Church see www.lds.org.

I invite you –

to receive The True Gospel and Church of Jesus Christ:
to have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ,
to repent of your sins,
to be baptized by immersion for the remission of your sins,
to be confirmed a member of The True Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and
to receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost at the hands of those in the Church who hold legitimate priesthood authority from God.
The gospel of Jesus Christ is our Heavenly Father’s plan of happiness.
The central doctrine of the gospel is the Atonement of Jesus Christ.
The Prophet Joseph Smith said, “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” (Articles of Faith 1:4).
In its fulness, the gospel includes all the doctrines, principles, laws, ordinances, and covenants necessary for men and women to be exalted in the celestial kingdom.
The Savior has promised that if we [repent of our sins and] endure to the end, faithfully living the gospel, He will hold us guiltless before the Father at the Final Judgment (see 3 Nephi 27:16).
The fulness of the gospel has been preached in all ages when God’s children have been prepared to receive it.
In the latter days, or the dispensation of the fulness of times, the gospel has been restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith.
Source. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Gospel Topics. www.lds.org.
The original Church of Jesus Christ “of Latter-day Saints” built on a foundation of living apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone, has been restored by Our Savior through the Prophet Joseph Smith and subsequent prophets and apostles.
See www.lds.org.
The Articles of Faith are:
1
We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost. [The godhead is comprised of three separate persons: God, the Eternal Father, and His Son, Jesus Christ, are resurrected glorified perfect men with immortal bodies of flesh and bone. The Holy Ghost is a glorified man with a spirit body.]
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, [worked out in Gethsemane and on the Cross] 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. Ordinances are administered by those with legitimate priesthood authority restored by John the Baptist and Peter, James, and John.]
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 [a second witness that Jesus is the Christ, recording His visit to and His dealings with peoples on the American continent] 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.
To enjoy our Savior Jesus Christ’s promised peace and eternal life, to meet with missionaries and join Christ’s true Church, I invite you to call right now 1-801-240-1000 in order to arrange to visit with the missionaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. You can also reach the missionaries via the website https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/comeuntochrist/easter-2021/talk-with-missionaries. And for more details about the Church see www.lds.org.

Have you seen this short amazing video? Thirsty from Covid? Drink the Living Christ’s “Living Water.” Jesus and the Woman at the well video link.

¹⁰Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.

¹¹The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water?

¹²Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle?

¹³Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again:

¹⁴But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

John 4:10-14.https://youtu.be/sma4o3mCPwA

Jesus Christ, the Great Jehovah, who soon will come in Power and Great Glory, said “As I Have Loved You, Love One Another.”

Jesus Christ teaches Love Your Enemies. Do good to those who hate you.

CLICK ON THIS LINK TO WATCH AND LISTEN TO THIS TALK IN VIDEO https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KSd_ra5e7o
Love Your Enemies
By President Dallin H. Oaks
First Counselor in the First Presidency
Knowing that we are all children of God gives us a vision of the worth of others and the ability to rise above prejudice.
The Lord’s teachings are for eternity and for all of God’s children.
In this message I will give some examples from the United States, but the principles I teach are applicable everywhere.
We live in a time of anger and hatred in political relationships and policies.
We felt it this summer when some went beyond peaceful protests and engaged in destructive behavior.
We feel it in some current campaigns for public offices.
Unfortunately, some of this has even spilled over into political statements and unkind references in our Church meetings.
In a democratic government we will always have differences over proposed candidates and policies.
However, as followers of Christ we must forgo the anger and hatred with which political choices are debated or denounced in many settings.
Here is one of our Savior’s teachings, probably well known but rarely practiced:
“Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
“But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you” (Matthew 5:43–44).¹
For generations, Jews had been taught to hate their enemies, and they were then suffering under the domination and cruelties of Roman occupation.
Yet Jesus taught them, “Love your enemies” and “do good to them that … despitefully use you.”
What revolutionary teachings for personal and political relationships!
But that is still what our Savior commands.
In the Book of Mormon we read,
“For verily, verily I say unto you, he that hath the spirit of contention is not of me, but is of the devil, who is the father of contention, and he stirreth up the hearts of men to contend with anger, one with another” (3 Nephi 11:29).
Loving our enemies and our adversaries is not easy.
“Most of us have not reached that stage of … love and forgiveness,”
President Gordon B. Hinckley observed, adding, “It requires a self-discipline almost greater than we are capable of.”²
But it must be essential, for it is part of the Savior’s two great commandments to “love the Lord thy God” and to “love thy neighbour as thyself” (Matthew 22:37, 39).
And it must be possible, for He also taught, “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find” (Matthew 7:7).³
How do we keep these divine commandments in a world where we are also subject to the laws of man?
Fortunately, we have the Savior’s own example of how to balance His eternal laws with the practicalities of man-made laws.
When adversaries sought to trap Him with a question about whether Jews should pay taxes to Rome, He pointed to the image of Caesar on their coins and declared, “Render therefore unto Caesar the things which be Caesar’s, and unto God the things which be God’s” (Luke 20:25).⁴
So, we are to follow the laws of men (render unto Caesar) to live peacefully under civil authority, and we follow the laws of God toward our eternal destination.
But how do we do this—especially how do we learn to love our adversaries and our enemies?
The Savior’s teaching not to “contend with anger” is a good first step.
The devil is the father of contention, and it is he who tempts men to contend with anger.
He promotes enmity and hateful relationships among individuals and within groups.
President Thomas S. Monson taught that anger is “Satan’s tool,” for “to be angry is to yield to the influence of Satan.
No one can make us angry. It is our choice.”⁵
Anger is the way to division and enmity.
We move toward loving our adversaries when we avoid anger and hostility toward those with whom we disagree.
It also helps if we are even willing to learn from them.
Among other ways to develop the power to love others is the simple method described in a long-ago musical.
When we are trying to understand and relate to people of a different culture, we should try getting to know them.
In countless circumstances, strangers’ suspicion or even hostility give way to friendship or even love when personal contacts produce understanding and mutual respect.⁶
An even greater help in learning to love our adversaries and our enemies is to seek to understand the power of love.
Here are three of many prophetic teachings about this.
The Prophet Joseph Smith taught that “it is a time-honored adage that love begets love. Let us pour forth love—show forth our kindness unto all mankind.”⁷
President Howard W. Hunter taught: “The world in which we live would benefit greatly if men and women everywhere would exercise the pure love of Christ, which is kind, meek, and lowly.
It is without envy or pride. … It seeks nothing in return. … It has no place for bigotry, hatred, or violence. … It encourages diverse people to live together in Christian love regardless of religious belief, race, nationality, financial standing, education, or culture.”⁸
And President Russell M. Nelson has urged us to “expand our circle of love to embrace the whole human family.”⁹
An essential part of loving our enemies is to render unto Caesar by keeping the laws of our various countries.
Though Jesus’s teachings were revolutionary, He did not teach revolution or lawbreaking. He taught a better way.
Modern revelation teaches the same:
“Let no man break the laws of the land, for he that keepeth the laws of God hath no need to break the laws of the land.
“Wherefore, be subject to the powers that be” (Doctrine and Covenants 58:21–22).
And our article of faith, written by the Prophet Joseph Smith after the early Saints had suffered severe persecution from Missouri officials, declares, “We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law” (Articles of Faith 1:12).
This does not mean that we agree with all that is done with the force of law.
It means that we obey the current law and use peaceful means to change it.
It also means that we peacefully accept the results of elections.
We will not participate in the violence threatened by those disappointed with the outcome.¹⁰
In a democratic society we always have the opportunity and the duty to persist peacefully until the next election.
The Savior’s teaching to love our enemies is based on the reality that all mortals are beloved children of God.
That eternal principle and some basic principles of law were tested in the recent protests in many American cities.
At one extreme, some seem to have forgotten that the First Amendment to the United States Constitution guarantees the “right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
That is the authorized way to raise public awareness and to focus on injustices in the content or administration of the laws.
And there have been injustices.
In public actions and in our personal attitudes, we have had racism and related grievances.
In a persuasive personal essay, the Reverend Theresa A. Dear of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) has reminded us that “racism thrives on hatred, oppression, collusion, passivity, indifference and silence.”¹¹
As citizens and as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we must do better to help root out racism.
At the other extreme, a minority of participants and supporters of these protests and the illegal acts that followed them seem to have forgotten that the protests protected by the Constitution are peaceful protests.
Protesters have no right to destroy, deface, or steal property or to undermine the government’s legitimate police powers.
The Constitution and laws contain no invitation to revolution or anarchy.
All of us—police, protesters, supporters, and spectators—should understand the limits of our rights and the importance of our duties to stay within the boundaries of existing law.
Abraham Lincoln was right when he said, “There is no grievance that is a fit object of redress by mob law.”¹²
Redress of grievances by mobs is redress by illegal means.
That is anarchy, a condition that has no effective governance and no formal police, which undermines rather than protects individual rights.
One reason the recent protests in the United States were shocking to so many was that the hostilities and illegalities felt among different ethnicities in other nations should not be felt in the United States.
This country should be better in eliminating racism not only against Black Americans, who were most visible in the recent protests, but also against Latinos, Asians, and other groups. This nation’s history of racism is not a happy one, and we must do better.
The United States was founded by immigrants of different nationalities and different ethnicities.
Its unifying purpose was not to establish a particular religion or to perpetuate any of the diverse cultures or tribal loyalties of the old countries.
Our founding generation sought to be unified by a new constitution and laws.
That is not to say that our unifying documents or the then-current understanding of their meanings were perfect.
The history of the first two centuries of the United States showed the need for many refinements, such as voting rights for women and, particularly, the abolition of slavery, including laws to ensure that those who had been enslaved would have all the conditions of freedom.
Two Yale University scholars recently reminded us:
“For all its flaws, the United States is uniquely equipped to unite a diverse and divided society. …
“… Its citizens don’t have to choose between a national identity and multiculturalism.
Americans can have both.
But the key is constitutional patriotism.
We have to remain united by and through the Constitution, regardless of our ideological disagreements.”¹³
Many years ago, a British foreign secretary gave this great counsel in a debate in the House of Commons: “We have no eternal allies and we have no perpetual enemies.
Our interests are eternal and perpetual, and these interests it is our duty to follow.”¹⁴
That is a good secular reason for following “eternal and perpetual” interests in political matters.
In addition, the doctrine of the Lord’s Church teaches us another eternal interest to guide us: the teachings of our Savior, who inspired the Constitution of the United States and the basic laws of many of our countries.
Loyalty to established law instead of temporary “allies” is the best way to love our adversaries and our enemies as we seek unity in diversity.
Knowing that we are all children of God gives us a divine vision of the worth of all others and the will and ability to rise above prejudice and racism.
As I have lived for many years in different places in this nation, the Lord has taught me that it is possible to obey and seek to improve our nation’s laws and also to love our adversaries and our enemies.
While not easy, it is possible with the help of our Lord, Jesus Christ.
He gave this command to love, and He promises His help as we seek to obey it. I testify that we are loved and will be helped by our Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ.
In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Jesus is the Living Christ. Theology. The Culture of Christ.

The Culture of Christ
By Elder William K. Jackson Of the Seventy
Click here to watch Elder Jackson’s talk.https://youtu.be/_BMIsM5B78c
Click here to listen only https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BMIsM5B78c
We can cherish the best of our individual earthly cultures and be full participants in the eternal culture that comes from the gospel of Jesus Christ.
What a magnificent world we live in and share, home to a great diversity of peoples, languages, customs, and histories—spread out over hundreds of countries and thousands of groups, each rich in culture.
Mankind has much to be proud of and to celebrate. But though learned behavior—those things to which we are exposed by the cultures we grow up in—can serve as a great strength in our lives, it can also, at times, become a significant obstacle.
It may seem that culture is so heavily embedded in our thinking and behavior that it is impossible to change.
It is, after all, much of what we feel defines us and from which we feel a sense of identity.
It can be such a strong influence that we can fail to see the man-made weaknesses or flaws in our own cultures, resulting in a reluctance to throw off some of the traditions of our fathers.
An over fixation on one’s cultural identity may lead to the rejection of worthwhile—even godly—ideas, attributes, and behavior.
I knew a wonderful gentleman not too many years ago who helps to illustrate this universal principle of cultural myopia.
I first met him in Singapore when I was assigned to be his family’s home teacher.
A distinguished professor of Sanskrit and Tamil, he hailed from the south of India.
His wonderful wife and two sons were members of the Church, but he had never joined nor listened much to the teachings of the gospel.
He was happy with the way his wife and sons were developing and supported them fully in their undertakings and Church responsibilities.
When I offered to teach him the principles of the gospel and share our beliefs with him, he initially balked.
It took me a while to figure out why:
he felt that by so doing, he would become a traitor to his past, his people, and his history!
To his way of thinking, he would be denying everything he was, everything his family had taught him to be, his very Indian heritage.
Over the next few months, we were able to talk about these issues.
I was awed (though not surprised!) by how the gospel of Jesus Christ was able to open his eyes to a different viewpoint.
In most man-made cultures, there is found both good and bad, constructive and destructive.
Many of our world’s problems are a direct result of clashes between those of differing ideas and customs arising from their culture.
But virtually all conflict and chaos would quickly fade if the world would only accept its original culture, the one we all possessed not so very long ago.
This culture dates back to our premortal existence.
It was the culture of Adam and Enoch.
It was the culture founded on the Savior’s teachings in the meridian of time, and it is available to all women and men once again in our day.
It is unique.
It is the greatest of all cultures and comes from the great plan of happiness, authored by God and championed by Christ.
It unites rather than divides. It heals rather than harms.
The gospel of Jesus Christ teaches us that there is purpose in life.
Our being here is not just some big cosmic accident or mistake!
We are here for a reason.
This culture is grounded in the testimony that our Heavenly Father exists, that He is real and loves each one of us individually. We are His “work and [His] glory.”1
This culture espouses the concept of equal worth.
There is no recognition of caste or class.
We are, after all, brothers and sisters, spirit children of our heavenly parents—literally.
There is no prejudice or “us versus them” mentality in the greatest of all cultures.
We are all “us.”
We are all “them.”
We believe that we are responsible and accountable for ourselves, one another, the Church, and our world.
Responsibility and accountability are important factors in our growth.
Charity, true Christ-like caring, is the bedrock of this culture.
We feel real concern for the needs of our fellowman, temporal and spiritual, and act on those feelings.
This dispels prejudice and hatred.
We enjoy a culture of revelation, centered on the word of God as received by the prophets (and personally verifiable to each one of us through the Holy Ghost).
All humankind can know the will and mind of God.
This culture champions the principle of agency.
The ability to choose is extremely important for our development and our happiness.
Choosing wisely is essential.
It is a culture of learning and study.
We seek knowledge and wisdom and the best in all things.
It is a culture of faith and obedience.
Faith in Jesus Christ is the first principle of our culture, and obedience to His teachings and commandments is the outcome.
These give rise to self-mastery.
It is a culture of prayer.
We believe that God will not only hear us but also help us.
It is a culture of covenants and ordinances, high moral standards, sacrifice, forgiveness and repentance, and caring for the temple of our bodies.
All of these bear witness to our commitment to God.
It is a culture governed by the priesthood, the authority to act in God’s name, the power of God to bless His children.
It edifies and enables individuals to be better people, leaders, mothers, fathers, and companions—and it sanctifies the home.
True miracles abound in this, the oldest of all cultures, wrought by faith in Jesus Christ, the power of the priesthood, prayer, self-improvement, true conversion, and forgiveness.
It is a culture of missionary work.
The worth of souls is great.
In the culture of Christ, women are elevated to their proper and eternal status.
They are not subservient to men, as in many cultures in today’s world, but full and equal partners here and in the world to come.
This culture sanctions the sanctity of the family.
The family is the basic unit of eternity.
The perfection of the family is worth any sacrifice because, as has been taught, “no other success can compensate for failure in the home.”2
The home is where our best work is done and where our greatest happiness is attained.
In the culture of Christ, there is perspective—and eternal focus and direction.
This culture is concerned with things of lasting worth! It comes from the gospel of Jesus Christ, which is eternal and explains the why, what, and where of our existence.
(It is inclusive, not exclusive.)
Because this culture results from the application of our Savior’s teachings, it helps provide a healing balm of which our world is in such desperate need.
What a blessing it is to be part of this grand and noble way of life!
To be part of this, the greatest of all cultures, will require change.
The prophets have taught that it is necessary to leave behind anything in our old cultures that is inconsistent with the culture of Christ.
But that doesn’t mean we have to leave behind everything.
The prophets have also emphasized that we are invited, one and all, to bring our faith and talents and knowledge—all that is good in our lives and our individual cultures—with us and let the Church “add to it” through the message of the gospel.3
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is hardly a Western society or an American cultural phenomenon.
It is an international church, as it was always meant to be.
More than that, it is supernal.
New members from around the world bring richness, diversity, and excitement into our ever-growing family.
Latter-day Saints everywhere still celebrate and honor their own heritage and heroes, but now they are also part of something far grander.
The culture of Christ helps us to see ourselves as we really are, and when seen through the lens of eternity, tempered with righteousness, it serves to increase our ability to fulfill the great plan of happiness.
So what happened to my friend?
Well, he was taught the lessons and joined the Church.
His family has since been sealed for time and all eternity in the Sydney Australia Temple.
He has given up little—and gained the potential for everything.
He discovered that he can still celebrate his history, still be proud of his ancestry, his music and dance and literature, his food, his land and its people.
He has found that there is no problem incorporating the best of his local culture into the greatest of all cultures.
He discovered that bringing that which is consistent with truth and righteousness from his old life into his new one serves only to enhance his fellowship with the Saints and to assist in uniting all as one in the society of heaven.
We can, indeed, all cherish the best of our individual earthly cultures and still be full participants in the oldest culture of them all—the original, the ultimate, the eternal culture that comes from the gospel of Jesus Christ.
What a marvelous heritage we all share.
In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

To know the Son is to know the Father. To follow the Father and the Son is to receive and enjoy Eternal Life!

To know the Son is to know the Father.

To follow the Father and the Son

is to receive and enjoy Eternal Life.

“And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” (John 17:3)

Book of Mormon, the book of Second Nephi, Chapter 2

Redemption cometh in and through the Holy Messiah—Freedom of choice (agency) is essential to existence and progression—Adam fell that men might be and men are that they might have joy —Men are free to choose liberty and eternal life. About 588–570 B.C.

1 And now, Jacob, I speak unto you: Thou art my firstborn in the days of my tribulation in the wilderness. And behold, in thy childhood thou hast suffered afflictions and much sorrow, because of the rudeness of thy brethren.

2 Nevertheless, Jacob, my firstborn in the wilderness, thou knowest the greatness of God; and he shall consecrate thine afflictions for thy gain.

3 Wherefore, thy soul shall be blessed, and thou shalt dwell safely with thy brother, Nephi; and thy days shall be spent in the service of thy God. Wherefore, I know that thou art redeemed, because of the righteousness of thy Redeemer; for thou hast beheld that in the fulness of time he cometh to bring salvation unto men.

4 And thou hast beheld in thy youth his glory; wherefore, thou art blessed even as they unto whom he shall minister in the flesh; for the Spirit is the same, yesterday, today, and forever. And the way is prepared from the fall of man, and salvation is free.

5 And men are instructed sufficiently that they know good from evil. And the law is given unto men. And by the law no flesh is justified; or, by the law men are cut off. Yea, by the temporal law they were cut off; and also, by the spiritual law they perish from that which is good, and become miserable forever.

6 Wherefore, redemption cometh in and through the Holy Messiah; for he is full of grace and truth.

7 Behold, he offereth himself a sacrifice for sin, to answer the ends of the law, unto all those who have a broken heart and a contrite spirit; and unto none else can the ends of the law be answered.

8 Wherefore, how great the importance to make these things known unto the inhabitants of the earth, that they may know that there is no flesh that can dwell in the presence of God, save it be through the merits, and mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah, who layeth down his life according to the flesh, and taketh it again by the power of the Spirit, that he may bring to pass the resurrection of the dead, being the first that should rise.

9 Wherefore, he is the first fruits unto God, inasmuch as he shall make intercession for all the children of men; and they that believe in him shall be saved.

10 And because of the intercession for all, all men come unto God; wherefore, they stand in the presence of him, to be judged of him according to the truth and holiness which is in him. Wherefore, the ends of the law which the Holy One hath given, unto the inflicting of the punishment which is affixed, which punishment that is affixed is in opposition to that of the happiness which is affixed, to answer the ends of the atonement—

11 For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things. If not so, my firstborn in the wilderness, righteousness could not be brought to pass, neither wickedness, neither holiness nor misery, neither good nor bad. Wherefore, all things must needs be a compound in one; wherefore, if it should be one body it must needs remain as dead, having no life neither death, nor corruption nor incorruption, happiness nor misery, neither sense nor insensibility.

12 Wherefore, it must needs have been created for a thing of naught; wherefore there would have been no purpose in the end of its creation. Wherefore, this thing must needs destroy the wisdom of God and his eternal purposes, and also the power, and the mercy, and the justice of God.

13 And if ye shall say there is no law, ye shall also say there is no sin. If ye shall say there is no sin, ye shall also say there is no righteousness. And if there be no righteousness there be no happiness. And if there be no righteousness nor happiness there be no punishment nor misery. And if these things are not there is no God. And if there is no God we are not, neither the earth; for there could have been no creation of things, neither to act nor to be acted upon; wherefore, all things must have vanished away.

14 And now, my sons, I speak unto you these things for your profit and learning; for there is a God, and he hath created all things, both the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are, both things to act and things to be acted upon.

15 And to bring about his eternal purposes in the end of man, after he had created our first parents, and the beasts of the field and the fowls of the air, and in fine, all things which are created, it must needs be that there was an opposition; even the forbidden fruit in opposition to the tree of life; the one being sweet and the other bitter.

16 Wherefore, the Lord God gave unto man that he should act for himself. Wherefore, man could not act for himself save it should be that he was enticed by the one or the other.

17 And I, Lehi, according to the things which I have read, must needs suppose that an angel of God, according to that which is written, had fallen from heaven; wherefore, he became a devil, having sought that which was evil before God.

18 And because he had fallen from heaven, and had become miserable forever, he sought also the misery of all mankind. Wherefore, he said unto Eve, yea, even that old serpent, who is the devil, who is the father of all lies, wherefore he said: Partake of the forbidden fruit, and ye shall not die, but ye shall be as God, knowing good and evil.

19 And after Adam and Eve had partaken of the forbidden fruit they were driven out of the garden of Eden, to till the earth.

20 And they have brought forth children; yea, even the family of all the earth.

21 And the days of the children of men were prolonged, according to the will of God, that they might repent while in the flesh; wherefore, their state became a state of probation, and their time was lengthened, according to the commandments which the Lord God gave unto the children of men. For he gave commandment that all men must repent; for he showed unto all men that they were lost, because of the transgression of their parents.

22 And now, behold, if Adam had not transgressed he would not have fallen, but he would have remained in the garden of Eden. And all things which were created must have remained in the same state in which they were after they were created; and they must have remained forever, and had no end.

23 And they would have had no children; wherefore they would have remained in a state of innocence, having no joy, for they knew no misery; doing no good, for they knew no sin.

24 But behold, all things have been done in the wisdom of him who knoweth all things.

25 Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy.

26 And the Messiah cometh in the fulness of time, that he may redeem the children of men from the fall. And because that they are redeemed from the fall they have become free forever, knowing good from evil; to act for themselves and not to be acted upon, save it be by the punishment of the law at the great and last day, according to the commandments which God hath given.

27 Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself.

28 And now, my sons, I would that ye should look to the great Mediator, and hearken unto his great commandments; and be faithful unto his words, and choose eternal life, according to the will of his Holy Spirit;

29 And not choose eternal death, according to the will of the flesh and the evil which is therein, which giveth the spirit of the devil power to captivate, to bring you down to hell, that he may reign over you in his own kingdom.

30 I have spoken these few words unto you all, my sons, in the last days of my probation; and I have chosen the good part, according to the words of the prophet. And I have none other object save it be the everlasting welfare of your souls. Amen.

Given all the disasters, maybe there is value in refocusing. JESUS WAS AND STILL IS THE CHRIST, THE SACRIFICIAL LAMB OF GOD THE FATHER, THE HOLY MESSIAH, OUR RESURRECTION AND OUR LIFE, THE SAVIOR OF THE WORLD. A MIGHTY FORTRESS IS OUR GOD WHO SOON WILL COME!

Given all the disasters, maybe there is value in refocusing. JESUS WAS AND STILL IS THE CHRIST, THE SACRIFICIAL LAMB OF GOD THE FATHER, THE HOLY MESSIAH, OUR RESURRECTION AND OUR LIFE, THE SAVIOR OF THE WORLD. A MIGHTY FORTRESS IS OUR GOD WHO SOON WILL COME!

A Mighty Fortress Is Our God
Text by Martin Luther.

2.1. A mighty fortress is our God,

2.2. A tower of strength ne’er failing.

2.3. A helper mighty is our God,

2.4. O’er ills of life prevailing.

2.5. He overcometh all.

2.6. He saveth from the Fall.

2.7. His might and pow’r are great.

2.8. He all things did create.

2.9. And he shall reign for evermore.

CHRIST.
CHRIST THE LAMB.
CHRIST OF GOD.

He is Christ.
He is the Christ.
He is The Christ of God.
(Luke 9:20)
He is The Anointed One. (Greek)
He is The Messiah. (Hebrew)
“Jesus, who is called Christ,
is the firstborn of the Father in the spirit
and the Only Begotten of the Father in the flesh.
“He is Jehovah,
and was foreordained to his great calling
in the Grand Councils
before the world was.
“He was born of Mary at Bethlehem,
lived a sinless life,
and wrought out a perfect atonement
for all mankind
by the shedding of his blood
and his death on the cross.
“He rose from the grave
and brought to pass the bodily resurrection
of every living thing
and the salvation
and exaltation
of the faithful.
“He is the greatest Being
to be born on this earth —
the perfect example —
and all religious things
should be done in his name. …
“He will come again
in power and great glory
to dwell on the earth,
and
“[He] will stand as Judge of all mankind
at the last day.”

(Bible Dictionary, Christ, pg. 633.)

LAMB.
LAMB OF GOD.
LAMB WITHOUT BLEMISH.
SACRIFICIAL LAMB OF GOD.
He is the Lamb.
(Revelation 21:9,14,22,27; 22:1,3;
Revelation 5:6,8, 12-13; 6:16; 7:9, 14, 17; 12:11; 14:1,4,10;
15:3; 17:14; 19:7,9).
He is the Lamb without blemish and without spot.
(1 Pet. 1:19)
He is the Lamb of God.
(John 1:29,36)
He was and is the Sacrificial Lamb of God.
LIVING BREAD.

He is the Living bread (John 6:51).
The sacramental bread of life.
“Verily, verily, I say unto you,
Moses gave you not that bread from heaven;
but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven.
For the bread of God
is he which cometh down from heaven,
and giveth life unto the world.
Then said they unto him,
Lord, evermore give us this bread.
And Jesus said unto them,
I am the bread of life:
he that cometh to me shall never hunger;
and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.”
(John 6:32-35)
“I am the living bread
which came down from heaven:
if any man eat of this bread,
he shall live for ever:
and the bread that I will give is my flesh,
which I will give for the life of the world.”
(John 6:51)

MESSIAH.
MESSIAS.

He is the Messiah.
He is the anointed one.
(Daniel 9:25)
He is the Messias.
He is the King and Deliverer.
He is the Messiah
whose coming the Jews eagerly expected..
(John 1:41; 4:25)
Messiah is fairer than the children of men.
Messiah is anointed with the oil of gladness
above his fellows.
Messiah is blessed forever.
Messiah is remembered in all generations.
(Psalm 45)
“Only the faithful were able [and are able]
to see in Jesus of Nazareth
the true Suffering Servant of Isaiah 53.”
(Bible Dictionary, 731.)
“There is only one Messiah. (2 Nephi 25:18)
And his status as the Anointed One,
as the promised Savior,
is what constitutes his Messiahship.
Others do not
and cannot
attain a status of Messiahship
(for they are not born,
as Christ was,
inheriting life in themselves from an Immortal Parent),
though others may become joint-heirs
with him in his Father’s kingdom.”
(MD p. 489)
(Genesis 49:10; Isaiah 10:27; 11:1; John 1:49;
Acts 3:15; 5:31; Hebrews 2:10; 12:2; 2 Nephi 20:27;
Doctrine & Covenants 58:22; Moses 4:2; Abraham 3:27)

RESURRECTION.
RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE.

He is the Resurrection.
He is the Ressurection and the Life for each of us.
(John 11:25)
“The resurrection consists in
the uniting of a spirit body with a body of flesh and bones,
never again to be divided.
The resurrection shall come to all,
because of Christ’s victory over death.
Jesus Christ was the first to be resurrected on this earth. …
Others had been brought back from death,
but were restored to mortality … ,
whereas a resurrection means to become immortal,
without blood,
yet with a body of flesh and bone.
All will not be raised to the same glory
in the resurrection … ,
nor will all come forth at the same time ….
Christ was first;
the righteous have precedence over the wicked,
and come forth in the first resurrection,
whereas the unrepentant sinners
come forth in the last resurrection …
The New Testament gives ample evidence
that Jesus rose with his physical body:
He ate fish and honey… ;
he said he had flesh and bones …;
the people touched him …;
the tomb was empty …;
and the angels said he had risen …
One of the most fundamental doctrines
taught by the Twelve
was that Jesus was risen from the tomb,
with his glorified, resurrected body, …
To obtain a resurrection
with a celestial, exalted body
is the center point of hope in the gospel of Jesus Christ.
The resurrection of Jesus
is the most glorious of all messages
to mankind.
Latter-day revelation
confirms the reality of the resurrection of Christ
and of all mankind, … .”
(Bible Dictionary, p. 761)
Yes, He raised Lazarus, yet Lazarus died.
He will raise us once and for all
and we shall live forever more.

SAVIOR.
SAVIOR OF ALL MANKIND.
SAVIOR OF THE WORLD.

He is The Savior.
(Matthew 1:21; Luke 2:11;
Acts 5:31; 13:23; Philip. 3:20)
He is our Savior.
(1 Timothy 2:3; 2 Timothy 1:10;
Titus 2:10, 13; 3:6)
He is The Savior of our body.
(Ephesians 5:23).
He is The Savior of Israel.
(Acts 13:23)
He is The Savior of the World
(John 4:42; 1 John. 4:14)
We can never be thankful enough
that He is the Savior of our spirits and our bodies.

A Mighty Fortress Is Our God
Text by Martin Luther.

180.1. A mighty fortress is our God,

180.2. A tower of strength ne’er failing.

180.3. A helper mighty is our God,

180.4. O’er ills of life prevailing.

180.5. He overcometh all.

180.6. He saveth from the Fall.

180.7. His might and pow’r are great.

180.8. He all things did create.

180.9. And he shall reign for evermore.