Why do we need Prophets and Scriptures if we can just Pray?

I guess because Heavenly Father would rather not repeat Himself if He can help it.

Us missionaries have this term for the three basic things you have to do regularly to stay steady and on track. They're also the three basic sources of revelation: CPR, or Go to CHURCH, PRAY, and READ the Scriptures. They're all commandments from God, given to us to enrich and bless our lives.

CHURCH

Mosiah 4:1-3, an entire people become converted during General Conference, Book of Mormon style.

Before you head off to church on Sunday, grab a notebook and have a question in your heart. A Spirit-filled service where other members have come to be edified is the perfect place to listen to those quiet promptings. As you listen to what the speakers and teachers have prayerfully and thoughtfully prepared, something they say may stick out to you or bring up a memory. Write it down. Record the thoughts that come into your mind.

Coming to church is a fantastic opportunity to listen to things that have been revealed through Modern Revelation. This could mean words spoken by the Prophet and his Apostles in General Conference, but it could also be as simple as a Bishop extending a calling or asking the ward to work on a particular aspect of the Gospel.

Even then, we don't just blindly accept everything we're told. We have to take it all and Pray about it...

PRAY

Alma 37:35-37, Counsel with the Lord, and He will direct thee for good.

Imagine that you've been given 15 minutes to talk to the Prophet. Before you go, are you going to prepare some questions to ask him? Or are you just going to wing it? I know I would try to think of some things to ask President Monson ahead of time because if I didn't, we'd just chat for a bit and I'd have wasted his time.

When we pray, we're talking to the Supreme Creator of the Universe, and he wants to hear from us. It should be a sacred experience, not five minutes where we ramble on because we know we have to. Bring a notebook to your closet. In a conversation, two people speak. Record what God tells you through the Holy Ghost. They could be random thoughts that come into your head, or an impression to open your scriptures.

Then, compare what you've been told to what has been written in the scriptures...

READ

1 Nephi 19:22-23, Liken all scriptures to yourself.

There's a saying that we talk to God by praying, but if we want him to talk back to us, we read the scriptures. One time, I really needed some sort of direction with how to act. I struggled to figure out how to work with this one person in my life, and I didn't have the option to run. I went into my closet and prayed for help. Then I opened the scriptures up. One was on forgiving others until seventy times seven. The other was on teaching by example. These two verses helped me know exactly how I needed to approach this situation, and I found them exactly when Heavenly Father wanted me to read them.

Al Carraway shared one way she received revelation by reading Ether. Clayton Christensen teaches us to Pray, Read, Write, Pray. Revelation from the scriptures comes from interacting with them. And sometimes we need to discuss the scriptures with our church leaders to understand them...

Church, Pray, Read. It's how we Endure to the End.

I know that doing these three basic things will help us stand firmly and on a sure foundation when the winds and tempests of trials and temptations beset us. I've seen it in my own life. When I wasn't praying everyday or reading my scriptures, I was drowning in the world and I didn't even realize it. Then I went on a mission. Suddenly, I was praying constantly and reading daily. I had never stopped going to church, but now it's never been so meaningful to take the sacrament and listen to the speakers and lessons. My testimony has never been so strong, and I'm looking forward to maintaining it at home where things will be different.

What is the Difference Between Communion and the Sacrament?

A few things. I want to start with what is similar, though. Just before Christ went to the Garden of Gethsemane to suffer for all of our sins and afflictions, He and His disciples had the Passover feast, which is often called the Last Supper. Here Christ introduced an ordinance to supersede the need of the Passover, which is sometimes called the Lord's Supper. Christ broke and blessed bread, then commanded His disciples to eat it in remembrance of his body that would soon be sacrificed for us all. Then He poured wine, blessed it, and commanded his disciples to drink it in remembrance of His blood that would be shed in great drops for us. This account is found in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.

Today, Christians everywhere participate in this sacred ordinance on a regular basis to remember the sacrifice of our Savior and recommit to living righteously. Some call it the Sacrament, like the LDS Church. Others call it Communion, like the Catholic Church. It's called Communion because the participants seek fellowship with Christ.

Now, I am not an expert on any church other than the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Even then, I'm not what you would consider an expert on the LDS Church. The only Communion service I am even slightly familiar with is that of the Catholic Church. That's because my current companion, Sister Clendon, attended a Catholic High School in New Zealand for five years and I asked her a bunch of questions. This is what I gathered from her and other Catholics I've had the pleasure of meeting.

The emblems of communion are a wafer and wine. The priest blesses the wafer. It is placed on the participant's tongue. The wafer sits on the tongue and dissolves; it's not chewed. The wine seems to be optional, reserved for teachers, older youth, and clergy. They drink from the same cup and wipe the rim with a rag between each person. What really sets Catholics apart is their belief in Transubstantiation: that the wafer and wine become the flesh and blood of Jesus Christ.

At an LDS Sacrament meeting, the ordinance looks a little different. The emblems are blessed by Aaronic Priesthood holders in the office of a Priest. They can be as young as 16. They bless the Sacrament with the same two prayers each time, one for bread, and one for the water. Then the Deacons, who can be as young as 12, pass the sacrament to each person in the congregation. We use water instead of wine for two reasons given in a revelation to Joseph Smith. First, we were commanded not to drink wine, especially that purchased from the Church's enemies at the time. Second, it doesn't matter what we eat or drink so long as we remember why we're participating in this ordinance. So if someone in the congregation can't have gluten, crackers or gluten-free bread can be used. We believe that the emblems are representations of Christ's body and blood.

The Sacrament is the most important part of coming to church on Sunday. It is when we renew our covenants, especially our baptismal covenant, and helps us remain worthy of the Holy Ghost. It is a commandment to partake of the Sacrament and attend our church meetings. It is so simple, and yet such a powerful symbol in our lives, to always remember the sacrifice of our Savior.

I don't think I receive revelation. Did God stop talking to me?

The Short Answer: Nope.

The Long Answer: Jesus Christ repeatedly tells us in the scriptures, "Ask and it shall be given you; seek and ye shall find; knock and it shall be opened unto you." It's one of the only scriptures that is found in all of the standard works: the Bible, the Book of Mormon, and the Doctrine and Covenants. The scripture that inspired Joseph Smith to ask Heavenly Father was James 1:5, "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him." Clearly Heavenly Father wants to give us all knowledge. The trick is to know how to listen.

A tool of communication.
Please don't text in church.

In a communication cycle, there is a sender, a message, and a recipient who sends feedback on the message received. The burden of understanding, or the one whose job it is to be understood, is on the sender. In this case, Heavenly Father sends us perfectly clear messages through the Holy Ghost. Our job, as receivers, is to be in tune and listening.

To be in tune, we have to be worthy of the Holy Ghost, for the Lord cannot dwell in unholy temples. To do that, we have to make sure we've repented of all our sins -- daily, preferably -- and are living righteously. We don't have to be perfect; we need to be worthy. A sign of our full repentance is that we can feel the Spirit again. We must also fill our lives with uplifting things, like scripture study, daily prayer, attending church, and keeping the commandments.

Then we listen. The voice of God is still and small, but sharp enough to pierce our souls. If we aren't listening carefully, we won't hear what the Spirit is telling us. Sometimes we need to be in a quiet room, at church, in the closet, or at the temple; someplace free from distractions and noise. Fasting can give you increased spiritual sensitivity.

When we hear our answer or receive an impression, we give God feedback. To do that, we write it down and act on it. This is exactly what the scriptures are. Revelation that isn't written down is easily forgotten. If we don't remember the revelation we're given, how can we do what Heavenly Father asked us to? And how can we expect to get more? Our diligence in handling revelation is how we show God our gratitude for the knowledge he's given us. When we've shown God that He can trust us with revelation, he will trust us with more.

Scriptures: A product of revelation.
Please don't text in church.

Soon we will find that we are getting more revelation than we thought possible. Doctrine and Covenants 121:33 says, "How long can rolling waters remain impure? What power shall stay the heavens? As well might man stretch forth his puny arm to stop the Missouri river in its decreed course, or to turn it up stream, as to hinder the Almighty from pouring down knowledge from heaven upon the heads of the Latter-day Saints." Are you ready for all that? It's going to be amazing.

I'm going to take a break from Church...

This seemingly innocent statement belongs in the same category as:

"How will I know alcohol is bad if I don't try one beer?" 

"I'll just keep my eyes closed when bad parts of a movie come up. I'm mature enough for this."

"It's a family tradition to get a tattoo. Family is important."

"God doesn't need to hear me pray today. I'll pray tomorrow."

"Just this once, and then I'll repent."

"God will justify in committing a little sin."

This has been brought to you by The Gospel According to Satan.

Yes, it's true that God will forgive us if we truly repent, no matter how many times it takes for us to overcome our sin. Satan, however, takes this and manipulates it into, "So just give in one time and then repent. It only took Alma three days." There is danger in this mentality because when you surrender to temptation once, it's easier to surrender again, and again. Soon your'e back into old, sinful habits that you thought you had overcome, or into something completely new and wicked that you never thought you would be in.

Repeatedly in the scriptures, we are exhorted to be obedient, watchful, and diligent. Nephi taught, "Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father; Ye shall have eternal life." 2 Nephi 31:20 

King Benjamin said, "But this much I can tell you, that if ye do not watch yourselves, and your thoughts, and your words, and your deeds, and observe the commandments of God, and continue in the faith of what ye have heard concerning the coming of our Lord, even unto the end of your lives, ye must perish. And now, O man, remember, and perish not." Mosiah 4:30

These prophets, and others, know that it is easier on us to keep the commandments 100% of the time rather than 98% of the time. They want us to avoid the painful effects of sin at all costs. Obedience makes us happier in the long run. There is no temptation that is truly impossible to resist. So when you're faced with that temptation to miss church just once, remember that God's commandments are designed to make us happy for eternity.

What about the man in China? Temples and Family History

Pictured: A man in China

In order to enter the Kingdom of God, you have to have faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repent, be baptized by someone holding Priesthood Authority, receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, and endure to the end. That's all fine and dandy if you live in a nation with religious freedom and missionaries that are allowed to knock on your door. But what if you're a poor man in rural China who lived a good life, but died without ever finding out that Jesus Christ exists? Is he damned for eternity? Nope!

In the afterlife, we'll either go to a spirit paradise or spirit prison, which is a lot like a spirit school. Jesus Christ opened the way for missionary work to go on in the spirit world so we can learn about Him even after we've died. So if this man in China would have accepted Christ while he was alive, he can accept Christ after he has died. God is just and fair and gives this opportunity to all His children, no matter where they live.

Hamilton New Zealand Temple

However, accepting Christ isn't enough. We have to be baptized and make other covenants in the temple, and these can only be done while we're alive and have a body. That's where we come in. At the temple, we perform saving ordinances for and in behalf of our deceased ancestors. They still have the same personality and their agency to accept or reject the work we've done for them. We can't force anyone, alive or dead, to be a Mormon or a member of Jesus Christ's church. But it's important that they at least have that option.

This is why it's so important to do our Family History. You have ancestors waiting to get their temple work done, and they're eager for it to be done before the Millennium -- tomorrow if possible.Get started finding your ancestors so their temple work can be done. So visit your local Family History Center today! Even if you can't get started on your own family history just yet, you can help others do theirs by volunteering to do indexing. Soon, you will feel the Spirit of Elijah working in you!

Family History is Fun!

Can I go shopping on Sunday?

The Short Answer: Ask God.

The Long Answer: Mormons make up a lot of little rules, and this isn't always a bad thing. They're personal commandments they follow so they can obey Jesus Christ more exactly. For instance, a lot of Mormons don't drink caffeine. The Word of Wisdom says not to have hot drinks, or Coffee and Tea. It doesn't say not to consume caffeine, but to keep from being addicted to anything, a lot of Mormons don't drink caffeinated drinks. At the same time, plenty of Mormons enjoy their Diet Coke. It's really a matter to discuss with the Lord.

In the same vein are the "Mormon Prohibited Sunday Activities:" working, shopping, housework, sports, movies, etc. The list can go on. Anything that can be done on any other day of the week and that could detract from the Spirit should be avoided. Of course, sometimes you have to go into work one Sunday, or your kid has a cold so you have to run into the store and grab some cough syrup. These situations are understandable, but they shouldn't become habits. Try as best as you can to not work on Sundays. At the very least, try to make it to church.

The better question to ask is, "What should I do on Sundays?" Go to church, visit your family, visit the sick or elderly, do service, go to a fireside, study the scriptures, watch an uplifting movie, etc. Anything that will help you remember our Savior and feel closer to the Spirit. There are many blessings that come from keeping the Sabbath Day holy, and we want you to fully enjoy all of them.

What are some good Sabbath Day activities you enjoy?

Can I wear Garments like a Camisole or Tank Top?

The Short Answer: No.

The Long Answer: What you're probably seeing at church are women wearing camisoles and tank tops under their blouses so they don't show their garments. More than just covering up our garments, it's a way that we maintain our modesty, which is something we worked on before we even went to the temple.

  

The standards of modesty upheld by the world and the ones upheld by the Church are different. Generally, what the world considers modest is usually considered immodest by the Church. That's not to say we're prudes, but we want to hold ourselves to a higher standard. The missionaries might not have explained this standard to you, or may have figured that after attending church for a while, you'd pick it up.

In my personal experience, the rule of thumb in my home was that I wore clothes that I could wear garments under when I eventually received my endowments. That means shirts or blouses with full sleeves, not cap sleeves, and a neckline that doesn't show cleavage. Skirts and shorts reach to an inch or two above the knees or longer. No clothing is tight or revealing in any way. Men also wear shirts with sleeves and shorts that are similarly long, and no clothing is tight or revealing in any way. Most importantly, pants should not sag! That's just dumb! With these standards, garments should not show at all.

But if you haven't gone to the temple to receive your endowments yet, why should you still follow these guidelines? Our bodies are sacred temples. How we treat them shows our respect for God and our gratitude for this precious gift. This includes the way we dress and present ourselves. When we dress modestly, we invite the Spirit's presence and have a good influence on others. If we dress so that undue attention is brought to certain parts of our body, it can encourage thoughts and actions that lead to breaking the Law of Chastity. Better to have the Spirit, I say.

As members of the Church, people are watching us. They notice what we don't eat, what we don't say, and what we wear. In an effort to avoid all appearance of evil, let us dress so that everyone knows that we know we are Sons and Daughters of God, and we have respect for the bodies He gave us.

Repent every day? I'm not THAT bad: A Guest Post by Sister Yates

What's all this talk about "Repent every day?"

Don't get offended by this common Mormon term.  It doesn't mean you're a sinner, sinful, awful person.  It simply means that we are all imperfect and need to change.

To clarify, repentance is:
 "...a change of mind, a fresh view about God, about oneself, and about the world. Since we are born into conditions of mortality, repentance comes to mean a turning of the heart and will to God, and a renunciation of sin to which we are naturally inclined. Without this there can be no progress in the things of the soul’s salvation, for all accountable persons are stained by sin and must be cleansed in order to enter the kingdom of heaven. Repentance is not optional for salvation; it is a commandment of God." (Repentance, Bible Dictionary)

As it says in the Bible Dictionary, repentance is a change of heart, opinion, life direction, etc.  It doesn't just mean you stop sinning.  Repentance is encouraged each day so we can continually be close to God, and the Holy Ghost so we can receive the guidance and direction needed to return to Heavenly Father.

Ask yourself: Am I someone the Holy Ghost can be around? Is there anything in my daily conduct that needs some improvement? With these questions in mind, don't be overly hard on yourself.  We all, no matter how long we've been Mormon, have room to improve on this.  We are not perfect, but the Lord has asked that we strive for perfection, and the only way we can even begin to achieve that is through repentance.

You may be wondering, "What do I need to repent of?" The world we live in is full of unclean things. We are told in Alma 11:37, "no unclean thing can live in the presence of God."  Therefore, we need to be mindful of things such as:
-Worldly Entertainment: "Would Christ feel comfortable with this music/TV show/ movie, etc.?"
-Vulgar Language: "Would I say that if Christ were in the room?"
-Gossip: "Would the Lord ever say that about any of His children?"
-Anger: "Would this situation be something God becomes angry about?"

These are just a few examples of everyday struggles and unclean things that we, as imperfect humans, need to over come.   

How to Write a Talk

Uh oh. The Bishop just asked you to give a talk next week in Sacrament Meeting. From the sound of every Sacrament Talk Ever, this is something most people avoid. You're not a public speaker. Why couldn't the Bishop have asked Brother Smith who has something to say for every question in the Gospel Doctrines class?

Relax. This doesn't have to be a big deal. Almost no one who gives a talk in Sacrament Meeting is an experienced public speaker. I took debate for three years to gain some confidence to speak at church, and I still get nervous. However, as long as you are prepared, the Spirit will fill your mouth and you will touch the hearts of everyone in the congregation.

Step One: Identify your Topic
   This is usually pretty easy because the Bishop just gives it to you. If the Bishop gave you free reign, pray about it. If he gave you a talk to speak on, boil it down to one or two words. Then take some time to meditate on it.

Step Two: Research
    This step should take most of your time. Spend a few hours or days just doing research on your topic.
Scriptures
Church Magazines
LDS.org for basically everything else
True to the Faith is a great resource for simplified definitions of gospel topics.
Preach My Gospel can help a lot too.

Step Three: Write an Outline
    This is just like writing an essay. Remember how you thought, "I've graduated from school. I'll never have to write another essay ever again!" Well, you were sadly mistaken.
     The ward loves to hear your personal experiences, so don't avoid using them because you think you're boring. You are awesome and unique and stuff. Your experiences helped build your testimony, so use them.
     This is my favorite outline. Change up the order or add/delete stuff as needed.

Introduce yourself and your topic

Point One

     -Scripture

     -Quote from a talk

     -Personal experience

Point Two

     -Scripture

     -Quote from a talk

     -Personal experience

Point Three

     -Scripture

     -Quote from a talk

     -Personal experience

Close with Testimony on topic

Step Four: Flesh it Out (optional)
    Some people like to speak from an outline. I do not. I like to write out my essay/talk/oration. The more research you've done, the easier this will be. The better you understand your topic, the simpler you will be in explaining it.

Step Five: Practice on your Cat
     Your cat will judge you far more than the ward will. Practicing will help you get out some of your jitters.

-or-

Step Five: Practice on an Unsuspecting Non-Member Friend

     Why not do some missionary work while you're working on your talk? Practice on a trusted friend who won't be mean, but can give you some constructive criticism.

Step Six: Give a Masterful Talk in Sacrament Meeting that goes Better Than Expected

     Prepare yourself for all of the compliments you will receive from the ward. It's not just an assignment; you have helped them feel spiritually uplifted.

-or-

Step Six: Ignore Your Outline or Pre-Written Talk Entirely as You Follow the Spirit When You Speak

     This happens to me more than I thought it would. It's entirely possible for the Spirit to give your talk for you, but you have to have something prepared and have done some of the work.

Congratulations! That wasn't too painful, was it? As an added bonus, you've learned far more about this particular topic than you ever thought you would. Teaching is one of the best ways to learn about any gospel topic. That's probably why Heavenly Father has us give talks in Sacrament meeting.