Doctrine
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Holy Week
For many, the week leading up to Easter holds great significance. It begins with Palm Sunday and ends with the day Jesus Christ rose from the dead, which is now called Easter. Holy Week is a good time for us to ponder and reflect on our belief in and reliance on Jesus Christ. How does knowing that He died for us affect us? How does knowing that He lives for us affect us? How does this knowledge influence our day-to-day decisions? Jesus was born of a mortal mother, which made Him human, and of Heavenly Father, which made Him a God. He was born in humble circumstances in a place…
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Jesus is The Healer
When I was young, I had an incomplete understanding of the Atonement of Jesus Christ and repentance. I believed that repentance was for big sins and the Atonement of Jesus Christ was for people who were stealing, robbing banks, committing murder, and other things that I was not doing. When leaders suggested daily repentance, I couldn’t wrap my head around that concept. Were people actually doing that much lying, stealing, and killing? What about people like me? I believed that Jesus had suffered in the Garden of Gethsemane and then hung on the cross where He died. And I absolutely believed He rose on the third day. That all made…
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Jesus is The Good Shepherd
A shepherd watches over, protects, and guides his herd. He stays with them, even when there might be danger. He knows each sheep and when one wanders, he is willing to go out and call that one back to the flock. Modern-day shepherds camp with the sheep. They move them to better grazing and watch over them constantly. If a coyote, wolf, or a bear threaten the herd, the shepherd is there to protect the sheep, especially the lambs. Shepherds care about each sheep and will make sure all are fed and nourished appropriately. If any are sick or injured, the shepherd will take extra care to help the sheep…
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Why A Christ-Centered Easter Matters
Easter often arrives amid baskets, multi-colored eggs, baby chicks, and stuffed bunnies. Families dye eggs, have Easter egg hunts, and enjoy a big family dinner. Most of the decorations center on pastel colors and spring. Many even receive new dresses and cute outfits to wear on Easter Sunday. Beneath all of this is something so much more powerful than candy and hardboiled eggs. Easter is not simply a fun springtime celebration. It is the absolute declaration that Jesus Christ suffered for our sins in Gethsemane, was crucified on the cross, and then rose on the third day in His glorious resurrection. When we focus on the Savior, Jesus Christ, and…
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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…
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Jesus 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 repent…
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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. The living prophet is the most important prophet to us and his teachings are the most vital. 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…
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Modesty: A Mindset
Recently, we had a relief society lesson on “Reverence for Sacred Things,” by Elder Ulisses Soares from the April 2025 general conference. The teacher asked if how we dressed influenced the reverence we felt in the temple or at church. I was reminded of a story that happened with a temple president who spoke in our stake conference. He stood at our pulpit during the Sunday morning session and said, “I have been surprised to see how many young women come to the temple wearing thongs. Please don’t wear thongs to the temple.” You could hear an audible gasp in the audience. He went on to talk about thongs and…
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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…
