Mormon Bloggers

I believe that by studying the different scriptural accounts that we have been given of the different prophets of all ages we can discover a pattern of receiving direction from the Lord. In 1 Nephi, chapter 1, an account is given of an experience Lehi had that is similar to the first vision account given by Joseph Smith. Nephi 1:5 Wherefore it came to pass that my father, Lehi, as he went forth prayed unto the Lord, yea, even with all his heart, in behalf of his people. 6 And it came to pass as he prayed unto the Lord, there came a pillar of fire and dwelt upon a rock before him; and he saw and heard much; and because of the things which he saw and heard he did quake and tremble exceedingly. 7 And it came to pass that he returned to his own house at Jerusalem; and he cast himself upon his bed, being overcome with the Spirit and the things which he had seen. Although Lehi summarizes his experience by saying he “saw and heard much”, the wording he uses to describe his experience... Read the rest of this entry »

On this Pioneer day, I decided to answer all the personal questions that you are asked when you fill out the profile on Mormon.org.  There are a whole lot more under the FAQ section (about 80) but that will have to wait for another day when I have more time.  I thoroughly enjoyed the process of answering these questions and felt like I was being interviewed, thus the title of this blog post. 01. Please explain the part prayer plays in your life? Having grown up with daily prayer, I can’t imagine a day go by in which I don’t communicate with my Heavenly Father in prayer.  We start the day in prayer as a family asking for the Lord’s blessing upon us as we work.  We end the day in prayer the same way, usually kneeling by the bed, reporting our activities to God and thanking him for his help.  We give thanks for the food we eat at mealtimes and participate in public prayers in our weekly worship service.  It is through prayer and reading scriptures that I feel close to God and directed... Read the rest of this entry »

Today, I’m posting another excellent YouTube video from Seth Adam Smith. Seth’s note to viewers is copied below. “The testimony of the Prophet Joseph Smith lives on, for he left a name and a fame which cannot be slain! “This video is not only Joseph Smith’s testimony, but it is also my testimony. In 2004, while attending the BYU Semester at Nauvoo, I spent a lot of time researching and pondering the life of the Prophet Joseph Smith. I would often sit at the bench next to his grave and think about the things I had both heard and felt. “In the quiet of those nights, I gained a firm conviction of the truthfulness of Joseph Smith’s testimony which I cannot deny. “I wanted to capture the essence of those experiences in this video. It took me a long time to film and put this video together (it’s been a project that I’ve been working on for over two years), but I feel it was well worth my labors. “I care little about how many... Read the rest of this entry »

Continuing in the theme of the glorious visions that occurred in the Kirtland Temple, I again add another post today on the first of the four visions. By retiring to the pulpit of the temple, Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery had separated themselves from the “world” and had allowed the “veil to be taken from their minds”. This transfiguring moment led to the magnificent experience of seeing the Lord himself, as he accepted the offering the Saints had made by building the Temple. They described what they saw as follows: Doctrine and Covenants 110:2 We saw the Lord standing upon the breastwork of the pulpit, before us; and under his feet was a paved work of pure gold, in color like amber. 3 His eyes were as a flame of fire; the hair of his head was white like the pure snow; his countenance shone above the brightness of the sun; John the Revelator described what he saw when he had a similar experience with these words: Revelation 1:13 And in the midst of the seven candlesticks... Read the rest of this entry »