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Priesthood for Mormon Men of Every Race
July 11, 2010 by Ben Tanner
Category Uncategorized | Tags: Blacks and the Priesthood,Mormon priesthood | No Comments
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The Promised Land
July 4, 2010 by Ben Tanner
Since it’s the 4th of July, I thought I would quote a few verses from the Book of Mormon about America, and I will leave the interpretation up to you:
2 Nephi 1:5
5 But, said he, notwithstanding our afflictions, we have obtained a aland of promise, a land which is bchoice above all other lands; a land which the Lord God hath ccovenanted with me should be a land for the inheritance of my seed. Yea, the Lord hath dcovenanted this land unto me, and to my children forever, and also all those who should be eled out of other countries by the hand of the Lord.
2 Nephi 1: 9-10
9 Wherefore, I, Lehi, have obtained a apromise, that binasmuch as those whom the Lord God shall bring out of the land of Jerusalem shall keep his commandments, they shall cprosper upon the face of this land; and they shall be kept from all other nations, that they may possess this land unto themselves. And if it so be that they shall dkeep his commandments they shall be blessed upon the face of this land, and there shall be none to molest them, nor to take away the land of their einheritance; and they shall dwell safely forever.
10 But behold, when the time cometh that they shall dwindle in aunbelief, after they have received so great blessings from the hand of the Lord—having a knowledge of the creation of the earth, and all men, knowing the great and marvelous works of the Lord from the creation of the world; having power given them to do all things by faith; having all the commandments from the beginning, and having been brought by his infinite goodness into this precious land of promise—behold, I say, if the day shall come that they will reject the Holy One of Israel, the true bMessiah, their Redeemer and their God, behold, the judgments of him that is cjust shall rest upon them.1 Nephi 13: 12-42
12 And I looked and beheld a man among the Gentiles, who was separated from the seed of my brethren by the many waters; and I beheld the Spirit of God, that it came down and awrought upon the man; and he went forth upon the many waters, even unto the seed of my brethren, who were in the promised land.
13 And it came to pass that I beheld the Spirit of God, that it wrought upon other Gentiles; and they went forth out of captivity, upon the many waters.14 And it came to pass that I beheld many amultitudes of the Gentiles upon the bland of promise; and I beheld the wrath of God, that it was upon the seed of my brethren; and they were cscattered before the Gentiles and were smitten.16 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, beheld that the Gentiles who had gone forth out of captivity did humble themselves before the Lord; and the power of the Lord was awith them.17 And I beheld that their mother Gentiles were gathered together upon the waters, and upon the land also, to battle against them.18 And I beheld that the power of God was with them, and also that the wrath of God was upon all those that were gathered together aagainst them to battle.19 And I, Nephi, beheld that the Gentiles that had gone out of captivity were adelivered by the power of God out of the hands of all other nations.20 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, beheld that they did prosper in the land; and I beheld a abook, and it was carried forth among them.23 And he said: Behold it proceedeth out of the mouth of a Jew. And I, Nephi, beheld it; and he said unto me: The abook that thou beholdest is a brecord of the cJews, which contains the covenants of the Lord, which he hath made unto the house of Israel; and it also containeth many of the prophecies of the holy prophets; and it is a record like unto the engravings which are upon the dplates of brass, save there are not so many; nevertheless, they contain the covenants of the Lord, which he hath made unto the house of Israel; wherefore, they are of great worth unto the Gentiles.24 And the angel of the Lord said unto me: Thou hast beheld that the abook proceeded forth from the mouth of a Jew; and when it proceeded forth from the mouth of a Jew it contained the fulness of the gospel of the Lord, of whom the twelve apostles bear record; and they bear record according to the truth which is in the Lamb of God.26 And after they go forth by the ahand of the twelve apostles of the Lamb, from the Jews bunto the Gentiles, thou seest the formation of that cgreat and abominable dchurch, which is most abominable above all other churches; for behold, they have etaken away from the gospel of the Lamb many parts which are fplain and most precious; and also many covenants of the Lord have they taken away.27 And all this have they done that they might pervert the right ways of the Lord, that they might blind the eyes and harden the hearts of the children of men.28 Wherefore, thou seest that after the book hath gone forth through the hands of the great and abominable church, that there are many plain and aprecious things taken away from the book, which is the book of the Lamb of God.29 And after these plain and precious things were ataken away it goeth forth unto all the nations of the Gentiles; and after it goeth forth unto all the nations of the Gentiles, yea, even across the many waters which thou hast seen with the Gentiles which have gone forth out of captivity, thou seest—because of the many plain and precious things which have been taken out of the book, which were plain unto the understanding of the children of men, according to the plainness which is in the Lamb of God—because of these things which are taken away out of the gospel of the Lamb, an exceedingly great many do stumble, yea, insomuch that Satan hath great power over them.30 Nevertheless, thou beholdest that the Gentiles who have gone forth out of captivity, and have been lifted up by the power of God above all other nations, upon the face of the land which is choice above all other lands, which is the land that the Lord God hath covenanted with thy father that his seed should have for the aland of their inheritance; wherefore, thou seest that the Lord God will not suffer that the Gentiles will utterly destroy the bmixture of thy cseed, which are among thy brethren.31 Neither will he suffer that the Gentiles shall adestroy the seed of thy brethren.32 Neither will the Lord God suffer that the Gentiles shall forever remain in that awful state of blindness, which thou beholdest they are in, because of the plain and most precious parts of the gospel of the Lamb which have been kept back by that aabominable church, whose formation thou hast seen.33 Wherefore saith the Lamb of God: I will be amerciful unto the Gentiles, unto the visiting of the remnant of the house of Israel in great judgment.34 And it came to pass that the angel of the Lord spake unto me, saying: Behold, saith the Lamb of God, after I have avisited the bremnant of the house of Israel—and this remnant of whom I speak is the seed of thy father—wherefore, after I have visited them in judgment, and smitten them by the hand of the Gentiles, and after the Gentiles do cstumble exceedingly, because of the most plain and precious parts of the dgospel of the Lamb which have been kept back by that abominable church, which is the mother of harlots, saith the Lamb—I will be merciful unto the eGentiles in that day, insomuch that I will fbring forth unto them, in mine own power, much of my ggospel, which shall be plain and precious, saith the Lamb.35 For, behold, saith the Lamb: I will manifest myself unto thy seed, that they shall write many things which I shall minister unto them, which shall be plain and precious; and after thy seed shall be destroyed, and dwindle in unbelief, and also the seed of thy brethren, behold, athese things shall be hid up, to come forth unto the Gentiles, by the gift and power of the Lamb.37 And ablessed are they who shall seek to bring forth my bZion at that day, for they shall have the cgift and the dpower of the Holy Ghost; and if they eendure unto the end they shall be flifted up at the last day, and shall be saved in the everlasting gkingdom of the Lamb; and whoso shall hpublish peace, yea, tidings of great joy, how beautiful upon the mountains shall they be.39 And after it had come forth unto them I beheld aother bbooks, which came forth by the power of the Lamb, from the Gentiles unto them, unto the cconvincing of the Gentiles and the remnant of the seed of my brethren, and also the Jews who were scattered upon all the face of the earth, that the records of the prophets and of the twelve apostles of the Lamb are dtrue.40 And the angel spake unto me, saying: These alast records, which thou hast seen among the Gentiles, shall bestablish the truth of the cfirst, which are of the dtwelve apostles of the Lamb, and shall make known the plain and precious things which have been taken away from them; and shall make known to all kindreds, tongues, and people, that the Lamb of God is the Son of the Eternal Father, and the eSavior of the world; and that all men must come unto him, or they cannot be saved.41 And they must come according to the words which shall be established by the mouth of the Lamb; and the words of the Lamb shall be made known in the records of thy seed, as well as in the arecords of the twelve apostles of the Lamb; wherefore they both shall be established in bone; for there is cone God and one dShepherd over all the earth.42 And the time cometh that he shall manifest himself unto all nations, both unto the aJews and also unto the Gentiles; and after he has manifested himself unto the Jews and also unto the Gentiles, then he shall manifest himself unto the Gentiles and also unto the Jews, and the blast shall be first, and the cfirst shall be last.Category Uncategorized | Tags: The promised land,USA | No Comments
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King David: “Create in Me a Clean Heart”
June 27, 2010 by Ben Tanner
In Psalm 51 we find King David repenting. There are many insights to be gained in this Psalm about true repentance.
Here are a few insights from this Psalm:
1. “Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.”
God is interested in what is going on in our hearts and minds, not just what we are doing on the outside.2. “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.”
Repentance is not just about seeking forgiveness, but also about changing our hearts and becoming more like God.3. “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.”
The sacrifice that is required for forgivness is true sorry (Godly sorrow) for our sins and an inner desire to truly change.When we truly repent, we will find peace in the loving mercy and grace of Jesus Christ. The atonement is wonderful because it give us access to forgiveness. But perhaps even more grate because if we continually repent of our folly and sin, God will change us to eventually become like Him. That means that we don’t just become reconcilled with God, we also become like Him and truly one with Him.
In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
To find out more about repentance and how you can become truly clean, please click here
Category Uncategorized | Tags: atonement,Repentance | No Comments
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Five Reasons to Go to Church
June 13, 2010 by Ben Tanner
1. To partake of the Sacrament, or the Lords supper.
2. To feel the Holy Ghost
3. To fellowship with the Saints
4. To learn more about the scriptures
5. To serve others.
What reasons do you go to church? Please comment below.
Category Uncategorized | Tags: church | No Comments
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Latter-Day Saint Music
June 6, 2010 by Ben Tanner
A little sample of Latter-Day Saint Music. Music is a very important part of the lives of Latter-Day Saints. In the early days of the church a revelation was received:
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12 For my soul adelighteth in the bsong of the cheart; yea, the dsong of the righteous is a prayer unto me, and it shall be answered with a blessing upon their heads.
My to learn more about Latter-Day Saint music, please visit: http://www.lds.org/churchmusic/
Category Uncategorized | Tags: Latter-Day Saint Music,mormon music | No Comments
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Memorial Day: Families are Forever
May 30, 2010 by Ben Tanner
I wanted to take the time in this post to thank my ancestors. I’m sure over time I’ll tell many of their stories. They are my hero’s and I can’t wait to meet them someday.
Memorial day has always been a day in my family to visit the graves of the veterans who sacrificed their lives for our country, but also to visit the graves of our ancestors. I have been doing this since I was a child. My mother would take us especially to the Provo cemetery in Provo, Utah to visit the graves of my grandparents and many other relatives.
Apparently, memorial day was a very important day to my grandmother, Mary Ann Edwards Duke. She passed-away before I was born, but my Mom tells me that her family would dress up in their Sunday best and spend the whole day at the cemetery. I probably can say that I inherited this love for departed family from my grandmother.
I love to hear their stories and find out just who they were. I love to find the traits in them that I have taken to be a part of myself. In our faith, we believe that the ties that bind families together can last beyond the grave. You can be sealed together forever in the Holy Temple of the Lord as a family. The power of God can bind on earth and in heaven.
Many other Christian faiths believe that after this life, there are no marriages or family relationships. They base this on a few verses in the Bible that they have interpreted incorrectly. The website http://www.fairlds.org addresses this concern very well. I would recommend that if you want to understand this please read this article: http://en.fairmormon.org/Marriage/As_a_requirement_for_exaltation/Jesus_said_”neither_marry_nor_given_in_marriage”
Having addressed that. I’m very grateful for the sacrifices of my ancestors and also the sacrifice of our veterens. (some of which are also my ancestors.)
I’m grateful for for the knowledge that I have that I can be with my Family forever. Another wonderful blessing made possible only because of Jesus Christ. I honor them and I honor Him.
In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Category Uncategorized | Tags: family,forever families,memorial day,sealing,temple | No Comments
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Why Join the Mormon Church?
May 23, 2010 by Ben Tanner
When Mormons talk about conversion, they are talking about something much deeper than someone changing from one church to another. We are talking about the Holy Ghost actually testifying to the individual about the truthfulness of the restored gospel, coupled with the desire to repent, and enter into a sacred covenant with Jesus Christ through the ordinances of Baptism and receiving the Holy Ghost.
Some mistake our missionary work as merely an effort to get people to join our church. The truth is that Mormons are interested in getting others to join the church, but only because we believe that it is the true church of Jesus Christ and the only place on earth where Jesus has authorized men to perform the sacred ordinance of Baptism through the holy priesthood, thus giving people the only real opportunity to come to Jesus Christ.
In order to come to Jesus and receive salvation, one must have faith, repent, be baptized, and receive the Holy Ghost. (Acts 2:37-38)
In order for baptism to be recognized by the Lord, it must be performed by one who has the proper authority to baptize. This authority to baptize is called the Aaronic Priesthood. It is the same priesthood that the Levite priests were given by God in the Old Testament. In order to give the Gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands, those laying hands must also have the proper authority. This authority is called the Melchizedek Priesthood. It is the same authority that the apostles of Jesus had in order to lay hands and give the Gift of the Holy Ghost. (Hebrews 7)
The reason that Mormons want you to join the church is so that you can truly come to Jesus Christ and experience the only organization on the earth where these two priesthoods, given by the Lord exist.
If you want to be saved and enter Jesus’ Kingdom, you must come to Jesus in the way that He said to come. This requires Faith, Repentance, Baptism (by the proper authority, only found in the church), and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost (the authority to confer this gift is also only found within the church).
That is the simple reason we want you to become a member, it’s because their is no other way to come to Jesus fully and receive His mighty Grace.
Jesus said:
“6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the away, the btruth, and the life: no man ccometh unto the Father, but by me.” John 14:6
We know that the only way to the Father or to Heaven is through Jesus. But before Jesus can take us to the father, we must first come to Jesus. And the only way to come to Jesus, is through Faith, Repentance, Baptism by the proper authority, receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end.
In order to truly go through this process, you just join the church. That is because it is the only place you can receive baptism and the Gift of the Holy Ghost in a fashion that will be accepted of the Lord. Because it is the only organization on earth where the holy priesthood of God is.
In the name of Jesus Christ Amen.
Category Uncategorized | Tags: Baptism,Priestood,The Holy Ghost | 2 Comments
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How Great Thou Art
May 9, 2010 by Ben Tanner
One of my favorite Hymns is “How great Thou art”. I love how it mentions the grandeur and beauty of the earth. I have found that when you go out into nature you can feel closer to the Spirit of the Lord.
One particular memory is when Jessica and I were flown out to Ghana by her parents. We had the opportunity to go on a safari and see the amazing wildlife. Ghana is situated in west Africa and is a coastal rain forest. I was interested in seeing pretty much anything dangerous. We came across a troop of Baboons and I wanted to get closer. The tour guide could see that I wasn’t afraid so he told me to follow him.
We hiked closer and closer to the troop. The large males were making a barking sound to get the rest of the troop up on the side of a small cliff for safety. Then the large males turned their attention to us. They made their bodies as big as they could to try and intimidate us. I’m not sure how big they were but they looked 3 and a half feet tall on all fours. They gnarled their teeth at us and barked as if to say if you come one step closer, we will tear you apart.
About this time Jessica was taking a picture of me from the road. She said she partly joking and partly not that she wanted one last picture of me before they attacked. The guide told me that I shouldn’t go any further as they meant business. I was an amazing scene. These beautiful apes were protecting their families and I was awe struck at the different colors they were displaying to try and scare me off.
It was almost like a battle scene with banners.
The Lord is the master creator. I am so grateful for this beautiful earth that He has created. “Then sings my soul, my Savior God to thee, how great thou art” In the name of Jesus Christ amen.
Category Uncategorized | Tags: creation,the earth,wildlife | 2 Comments
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8 Ways We Need the Holy Ghost
April 18, 2010 by Ben Tanner
1.  He testifies of the reality of Heavenly Father,  the Living Christ,  and His Church. (3 Ne. 11: 32)
2. He brings to remembrance all things that the Savior has taught us. (John 14: 26)
3. He can let us know the truth of all things. (Moro. 10: 5)
4. He is the medium by which we can receive revelation.  (John 16: 13, 3 Ne. 29: 6)
5. He is the Comforter (John 14: 26)
6. He Sanctifies us. (Rom. 15: 16, Alma 13: 12)
7. He can transfigure you to enable you to endure the presence of God. (Moses 1: 11, 14, Luke 1: 35)
8. He seals us up unto Eternal Life  (D&C 132: 7, Eph. 1: 13)
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Matt: 18:3 “Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven”
April 11, 2010 by Ben Tanner
This past week I was able to take a short vacation with my family.  As we prepared for the long drive, my wife and I dreaded the idea that we would have three kids under the age of 7 in a car for hours on end.
We anticipated questions like “Are we there yet?”
However a few hours into the drive, we realized that our children were behaving really well.  They were playing nicely with each other and not bothering us at all.  We were shocked.
Our youngest, a 2 year old wasn’t feeling well and lost his lunch… at first we thought it was just car sickness, but he did it again later that evening.
We kept wondering if we should just go home so that he could be in his familiar circumstances to get well.  But we also had really wanted to take a vacation because it was long over due.  I started to watch my son very closely and even though he wasn’t feeling well, and he certainly wasn’t his normal cheerful self, he tried to have fun and be happy as much as he could.
He was enduring his trial very well.  It’s amazing to me that even though these children were not in their familiar patterns and surroundings, they seemed to be able to role with the punches much better than I do when things don’t go my way.
When we finally got home, my two year old, who is just learning to talk, realized that we were home and called out “HAPPY!”  He was so happy to be home.
I testify that little children are close to God.  They are full of capacity and life.  They are encircled about in the arms of Jesus’ grace.
When I grow up, I want to be just like them.
In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
If you would like to learn more, Click here for Missionaries
Category Uncategorized | Tags: become converted,children,little children | 1 Comment
