Mormon Bloggers

Teaching scripture stories to toddlers is important for instilling them with faith in God, gospel knowledge, and power to do what’s right. But it’s not easy for them to understand the scriptures and they have short attention spans, so try the following ideas to help them learn better. If your toddler has difficulty cooperating during family scripture study, let them read their church books while the family reads from the scriptures. They will learn that it is a special time to read about the gospel.  Try reading toddler books about scripture stories together before bed. Retell scriptures stories in your own words at a toddler level. To get little children involved, have them do something (like clap) every time they hear a certain key word (like faith). Or make little happy and sad faces for them to hold up when they hear the words “happy” and “sad.” Read the Church‘s scripture stories for children. After a few sentences, read the corresponding... Read the rest of this entry »

Much ado is being made at present over Pastor Robert Jeffress’s remarks at the Values Voters Summit, where he minced no words in expressing to reporters his view that Mormons–members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints–belong to a cult. When news commentator Anderson Cooper interviewed Pastor Jeffress, the latter maintained his previously stated position, though he did do us a favor by clarifying that he considers Mormons to belong to a theological as opposed to a sociological cult. I have my doubts that the American public, and specifically Jeffress’s 10,000 congregants, could describe the difference between the two (I can’t). Thus cult remains the operative word, ostensibly a bad thing to be a part of, especially if you are running for President. Though I disagree with most of what Pastor Jeffress said to Mr. Cooper regarding my faith, I did enjoy his characterization of the Book of Mormon as “newer, fresher revelation.” In... Read the rest of this entry »

As a missionary in the Samoan islands, my primary objective was to “invite all to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end.” Samoans are nearly 100% Christian, belonging to a variety of sects, including congregationalist, Methodist, Catholic, Pentecostal, Mormon, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Seventh-day Adventist, and so forth. And as far as I understand these differing parties, they all explain the Bible very differently. Yet interestingly, despite the lack of unity in scriptural interpretation among the many denominations in Samoa, all but the Mormons (whom I was representing) were unified in their belief that John’s conclusion to his Revelation precludes any additional scripture apart from the Bible. Never mind that Moses said practically the same thing way back in Deuteronomy. Never mind that the Bible as a whole didn’t... Read the rest of this entry »

ldsclipart.com Family scripture study strengthens family ties, spiritually prepares each family member for the day, and increases everyone’s knowledge and testimony of the gospel. If you do not have family scripture study, start today! Try to have scripture study everyday with the whole family. Decide on a time that works best for your family, such as before school or before bed. Decide what you will read each day. One idea is to read the scriptures beginning to end and create a reading chart to follow and mark your progress. Another idea is to study by topic by going through the index or letting a family member choose. Make sure everyone is involved. Ask a family member to pray. Make sure everyone has a set of scriptures. Have the older kids help the younger kids follow along. Take turns reading aloud. If everyone has conflicting schedules, then have short devotionals whenever everyone is together or with different family members throughout the day. Say a prayer and read... Read the rest of this entry »

Having scripture study together as husband and wife is very important for a strong relationship with each other and with God. There is no one way to do it—find the method that works best for you. The important thing is to just do it. Aim for daily scripture study together in a quiet place for at least fifteen minutes. Begin and end with prayer. Take turns reading aloud, with the other spouse following along, and share your insights. Study by topic or create a reading schedule to take away pressure and time in finding a passage to study. A schedule also helps you keep track of progress and work toward a goal. When you have a question about something you read, search together for the answer. Find other scriptures, consult religious books, or search online. Make it a team effort to learn. Listen to each other. Never criticize or make fun of anything your spouse shares during scripture study. If you disagree about something, find common ground and move on. If you think... Read the rest of this entry »

Making time for personal scripture study can be difficult when you have a busy schedule. Take advantage of the few moments you have each day to squeeze in a short scripture study. Study the scriptures for one minute right after you wake up or before you go to bed. Read a few scripture verses any few minutes you get: while eating, brushing your teeth, waiting for something to boil or heat up in the microwave, watching TV during commercials, etc. Buy the scriptures on CD or download them to your iPod to listen to in the car, at home, or while exercising. Keep scriptures in your car or purse to read when you have down time or are waiting for something. Also, you can download the scriptures onto smartphones. Sign up to get a daily scripture verse email. If even these tips don’t work for you, then stop wasting time! If you have time to watch your favorite TV show, go on Facebook, or read a book, then you have time for a few minutes of personal scripture study. Put God and your spirituality... Read the rest of this entry »

The “My Study Notebook” is your own personal, private space on LDS.org to organize and study your notes from living prophets, scriptures, and the gospel library. The following video provides a short introduction to My Study Notebook. For more tutorial videos, see the help page for My Study Notebook. Share on Facebook  Read More →

What matters most to you? A question of importance that we all should reflect on. After watching this video, share … Continue reading »  Read More →

Filed under: Apologetic Article, Youtube Video Tagged: Apologetics, Book o, Book of Mormon, Christ, Christianity, Church of Jesus Christ of … Continue reading »  Read More →

“Not My Will be Done, But Thine, be Done”         New Testament Lesson #25 Matthew 26:36-46; Mark 14:32-42; Luke 22:39-46   … Continue reading »  Read More →

New Testament Lesson #24                      “This is Life Eternal”                                     John 16-17 Study outline: John 16:1-15: Jesus prepares his Apostles for the … Continue reading »  Read More →

The Church has released an audio version of the Book of Mormon, Bible, Doctrine and Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price for free download on iTunes in audiobook and MP3 formats. The audiobook format makes it easy to download an entire volume of scripture in one file. MP3 files for individual chapters are also available for free download. This is the same audio as found on the Church’s scripture CDs, but at a higher quality. It also allows you to listen to an entire volume of scripture without having to change discs. The audio of all the standard works is available in English and Spanish, and the triple combination is available in Japanese, Portuguese, and Korean. Learn more by reading the article in Church News and Events. To access these new resources, go to the scriptures section of the Church’s channel at iTunes.lds.org. Share on Facebook  Read More →