Mormon Bloggers

~by Janelle** Q: Why do Mormons wear special underwear (called temple garments)? A: To Remember. Have you ever put a penny in your shoe to help you remember something? I have. Unlike a ribbon around my finger, where everyone asked me what I was trying to remember, the penny served to remind me, and only me, of something important. Every once in a while during the day the penny would shift to someplace in my shoe where I would feel it and remember the task that needed completing. My pennies would help me to remember to return a library book, to repay a debt, or to call a friend. When I wrote reminders on my hand they always washed off, when I used a string it would break. My penny was a dependable and invisible way to help me remember. Wearing my garments serves a similar purpose. They help me remember. First of all, they remind me of my commitment to Jesus Christ. At baptism I promised to always remember Him. When I wear my undergarment I’m reminded of the covenants I made at baptism... Read the rest of this entry »

Last year, when I wrote about Mission Companions, I mentioned that learning to get along with your mission companion is excellent practice for learning to get along with your eternal companion, your wife. Today I’d like to elaborate more on how a mission prepares you for temple marriage. The Importance of Temple Marriage Those who are sealed in the temple have the assurance that their marriage will continue forever if they obey their covenants. They know that nothing, not even death, can permanently separate them. Our prophet, President Thomas S. Monson, said, “Make certain that the marriage in your future is a temple marriage. There is no scene so sweet, no time so sacred as that very special day of your marriage. Then and there you glimpse celestial joy. Be alert; do not permit temptation to rob you of this blessing.” (From Whom Shall I Marry?, New Era, Oct. 2004) Heber J. Grant, 7th president of the Church, emphasized the importance of every young man and woman starting their... Read the rest of this entry »

~by Candace I know this is the true Church of our Savior Jesus Christ and that we are led by a living prophet, Thomas S. Monson. My story: My life challenges started at a very early age. I was eight years old when I was first molested. He was a friend of the family and I had a child’s love for him. He broke my heart and severely injured my spirit. Unable to tell my parents, my trust of people around me was shaken. I became very insecure and frightened of life. When I reached my teens, my insecurities and lack of participation in school activities became evident and a concerned counselor started drawing me out and I felt comforted by his concern. But, once again my life was jolted when he betrayed my trust. One day he offered me a ride home. I accepted his kind gesture. I soon realized he had other intentions. We took a ride into the hills near our town and the unspeakable happened. Once again I was shaken to the core and afraid to go to my parents. I had no idea how to deal with any... Read the rest of this entry »

Recently I was studying Elder D. Todd Christofferson’s talk from the last General Conference entitled “The Power of Covenants”.  He talks about how keeping the covenants we have made can get us through challenging times in our lives.  The quote that I really liked was, “Divine covenants make strong Christians”. President Gordon B. Hinckley mentioned three covenants that if obeyed, he felt would help take care of everything else. 1)      Sacrament 2)      Tithing 3)      Covenants of the Temple: Sacrifice He said, “If our people could only learn to live by these covenants, everything else would take care of itself, I am satisfied.  We would not have to worry about sacrament meeting attendance…willingness to serve missions…divorce and the many requests for cancellation of temple sealings.” (Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley, p. 147)  I have seen this in my life.  When I follow those three covenants I am happier and I can get through and become better during... Read the rest of this entry »

“What is the source of such moral and spiritual power, and how do we obtain it? The source is God. Our access to that power is through our covenants with Him. A covenant is an agreement between God and man, an accord whose terms are set by God . In these divine agreements, God binds Himself to sustain, sanctify, and exalt us in return for our commitment to serve Him and keep His commandments. We enter into covenants by priesthood ordinances, sacred rituals that God has ordained for us to manifest our commitment. Our foundational covenant, for example, the one in which we first pledge our willingness to take upon us the name of Christ, is confirmed by the ordinance of baptism. It is done individually, by name. By this ordinance, we become part of the covenant people of the Lord and heirs of the celestial kingdom of God. Other sacred ordinances are performed in temples built for that very purpose. If we are faithful to the covenants made there, we become inheritors not only of the celestial... Read the rest of this entry »

“Verily I say unto you, all among them who know their hearts are honest, and are broken, and their spirits contrite, and are willing to observe their covenants by sacrifice – yea, every sacrifice which I, the Lord, shall command – they are accepted of me.” D & C 97:8 Honest and broken hearts, contrite spirits, willing to observe our covenants by sacrificing, all these are required by the Lord. As I am honest with myself and approach the Lord with a broken heart and contrite spirit, bending my will to the Lord’s, keeping my covenants at the cost of sacrificing other good things, my sacrifices will be accepted of the Lord. I believe as I make covenants with the Lord part of my keeping these covenants will in turn require sacrifice. The sacrifice may be of time, things, or even desires.  Read More →