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November, 2010

  1. The Ugly Duckling…

    November 28, 2010 by Ben Tanner

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  2. I confess…

    November 21, 2010 by Ben Tanner

    I’ve done bad things, I’ve made mistakes, and I’ve done my share of sinning.  Not just in my life, but probably in the past hour.  I’m no better than anyone else in the world, regardless of their beliefs or religion.   That is one of the important characteristics of true Christianity.  We are willing to admit, that we have done wrong, and that we continue to struggle with sin every day.

    Mormonism is not about putting yourself on some kind of pedestal and proclaiming to the world that you are perfect.  Unfortunately, there are many who think that Christianity and Mormonism is just a bunch of hypocritical people who think they are better than every one else.  I’ll give them the hypocritical part, because we all (everyone, Christian or non-Christian) are and have been hypocrites about different things at different times.

    But I hope they know, we really don’t think we are better than anyone else.  Part of following Jesus Christ is admitting that you are a sinner, admitting that sin really exists, and admitting that you need power outside of your own to overcome it.

    The atheist won’t even admit that there is a right or a wrong, good or bad, therefore they cannot admit that they are sometimes wrong, and that they sin. It wouldn’t make logical sense.    This to me seems even more hypocritical.

    A Mormon takes personal accountability to another level.  In Mormonism, we are not a liberty to blame Adam, or the fall for our individual sins.  We believe in true moral agency.  We believe that when we sin, it really is our fault.  And therefore, we need a Savior, because we are powerless to overcome our sins by our personal effort alone.

    Having said that, our personal effort is required to show our faith in the Lord’s redeeming power.

    The good news is that the Lord does forgive.  He is merciful.  He is kind.  But his love even goes beyond that.  He is just.  And because He is just, he could not wave our sins away with some kind of cosmic magic wand.  In order for Him to fulfill the law of Justice, the price of our sins had to be paid for.  And that price was the blood of a sinless, pure, God, even Jesus Christ.  He paid the price of justice, and he gave complete mercy.

    He gave us the formula for us to tap into this marvolouse mercy and grace.  Here it is:

    1. Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ  (We must believe in Him and His power to save, and change us)

    2. Repentance (We must, confess our sins,  ask for forgiveness, do what is in our power to repair the wrongs we have done, and forsake the practice of our sins with His help)

    3. Baptism for the Remission of Sins. (By those who have authority to baptize)

    4. The laying on of Hands for the Gift of the Holy Ghost. (By those who have the authority to give the Gift of the Holy Ghost)

    5. Keep His commandments and endure in faith to the end of our lives. (which means to continue to repent when we make mistakes, strive to overcome our desires for sin, and to love and serve God and our fellow men.)

    This is how we gain access to Jesus Christ fully.  And if we have accesses to Jesus Christs grace, then we have access to Heaven.  We will be changed into one who is fit for the Kingdom.

    In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

    CLICK HERE to Chat with Missionaries.

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  3. Thanksgiving Daily

    November 14, 2010 by Ben Tanner

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  4. Family History/Genealogy

    November 7, 2010 by Ben Tanner

    My Grandmother and Father as a young boy.

    Understanding your families past can greatly help you understand the present.  Your life is a continuation of a larger story.   Our ancestors toiled, loved, laughed, worshiped, made mistakes,  had great successes, fought wars, and ultimately provided the foundation and world into which each of us were born.

    Understanding their stories can help put your own life into context.  It can greatly enrich your life to understand the lives of those who have gone before you.

    As Latter-day Saints, we don’t think of our ancestors as just gene carriers that passed those genes down to us.  We view ourselves as a part of a large family chain that transcends this life.  This chain can an will continue in the life to come.

    There are many of our ancestors who lived their whole lives without even hearing of the fullness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  We do not believe these people are lost.  We believe that God is completely just and that He will give every person who has lived on this earth an equal opportunity to hear, understand, and believe in His Gospel.

    He has provided a way for everyone to receive the ordinances of the Gospel even if they did not receive them when they were alive.   Here is how it works:

    1. A deceased person will receive Gospel instruction or missionaries in the Spirit world. (the place were we go when we die)

    2. Their descendants and other good people will search out their names and important information such as date of birth, place of birth etc.

    3. The deceased person can decide to accept or reject the Gospel just as we can while alive.

    4. Ordinances such as Baptism, confirmation, and other temple ordinances are performed on behalf of the death by a living proxy in the Holy Temple.

    5. If the deceased person decides to accept the Gospel and the work performed for them, they will be given all the rights and privileges anyone receives by becoming a member of the church and thus have access to salvation.

    This allows God to give the same opportunity to everyone.  From the tribes in South America that have never heard of Jesus Christ, to everyone in the world.  Eventually everyone who has ever lived from Adam down to our time will have heard the Gospel and had the chance to fully accept it or not.

    Who are your ancestors?  Were they baptized by the proper authority?  I testify that they can have full access to these blessings today just as these same truths were taught in the New Testament. (1 Corinthians 15:29)

    In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

    CLICK HERE to Chat with Missionaries.

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