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Be of Good Cheer and Do Not Fear
In Doctrine and Covenants 68:6, it reads, “Wherefore, be of good cheer, and do not fear, for I, the Lord, am with you, and will stand by you . . .” I’ve spent a lot of my life in fear. Fear of the unknown, fear of getting a disease, fear of having a car accident, fear of one of my kids getting hurt, fear of things happening in the world, fear of losing people I love to death. My fear began when I was a child. I lost my father when I was four years old. It was December 19 and I’d been Christmas shopping with my mom and grandma.…
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Doctrines and Principles for Our Lives
There is so much to learn in section 19 of the Doctrine and Covenants. Doctrines and principles contained in this section are of great importance to our salvation. It was specifically for Martin Harris but we can apply much of it to ourselves. An important message contained in this revelation is that God is in the details of our lives. He knows us and He loves us. Jesus is All We Need Doctrine and Covenants 19:1, reads, “I am Alpha and Omega, Christ the Lord; yea, even I am he, the beginning and the end, the Redeemer of the world.” Jesus is the beginning and the end. We start with Him and we end…
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A Living Prophet
Something that distinguishes The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from other churches is our belief in a latter-day, living prophet who teaches us what God wants us to know. A living prophet is one for our own day. He teaches, preaches, and leads the Church. Divine Calling to Lead The Church The latter-day Church was established on April 6, 1830 in Peter Whitmer’s home. A total of six people joined that day. Joseph Smith was the first elder, or leader of the Church. He received a revelation that day, which is recorded in section 21 of the Doctrine and Covenants. It says, “4 Wherefore, meaning the church, thou shalt…
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Christ Suffered for Us So We Don’t Have To
While in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus Christ suffered for each one of us. He describes this suffering in the following scripture passage and then adds a condition so that we do not have to experience the same kind of suffering. In Doctrine and Covenants 19:15-19 it reads, “15 Therefore I command you to repent—repent, lest I smite you by the rod of my mouth, and by my wrath, and by my anger, and your sufferings be sore—how sore you know not, how exquisite you know not, yea, how hard to bear you know not. 16 For behold, I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent; 17 But if they would not…
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Perfectionism vs Being Perfected in Christ
We read in the scriptures about being perfect. Matthew 5:48 “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. 3 Nephi 12:48 “Therefore I would that ye should be perfect even as I, or your Father who is in heaven is perfect.” We’ve come to define “perfect” as being flawless, without mistakes, or without any blemishes. Because of this definition we have fallen into traps when we think about perfection and can misunderstand this doctrine. Have you ever thought, “I’m not righteous enough?” Or, “I will never be able to keep all the commandments perfectly?” Or, “I keep making mistakes and failing so I shouldn’t attend the temple?” “I’ll never be as…
