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Come, Follow Me with FAIR: Faithful Answers to New Testament Questions – John 14–17

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Evangelical Questions: Grace and Works

by Jennifer Roach, MDiv, LMHC

If ye love me, keep my commandments. (John 14:15)

Welcome back to Come Follow Me with FAIR: Faithful Answers to New Testament Questions. My name is Jennifer Roach and today we’re going to talk about Grace and Works. As you know we’re going through the Come Follow Me readings and addressing common questions that Evangelicals ask about our faith as we go along. Our purpose here is not to fuel debate but to help you understand where your Evangelical friends and family are coming from so that you can have better conversations with them, and perhaps even be able to offer them a bit of our faith in a way they can understand. [Read more…] about Come, Follow Me with FAIR: Faithful Answers to New Testament Questions – John 14–17

By Study and Faith – Episode 1: What is Critical Thinking?

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by Zachary Wright

Have you ever wanted to problem-solve better? Not just the daily issues we deal with, but the massive world-changing problems we deal with constantly? What about wanting to be more effective in your study? Have you ever wanted to learn to differentiate between what’s true and what’s not? Maybe you’re not as ambitious, but you want to be a better disciple of Jesus Christ and learn more about Him and His gospel. All these skills, and more, apply at least some form of critical thinking skills, and I’m here to help you learn how to be a more effective critical thinker. [Read more…] about By Study and Faith – Episode 1: What is Critical Thinking?

Beyond the Rainbow: Supporting LGBT+ Saints Faithfully

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by Skyler Sorensen

Note: Skyler’s new book “Exclude Not Thyself: Thriving as a Covenant-keeping, Gay Latter-day Saint” will be available June 12. Pre-order now from the FAIR Bookstore!

When choosing to associate with a group, you have to consider the implications and effects the group has as a whole. In recent years our prophets and apostles have implored us to seek to understand the experience of our LGBT+ brothers and sisters. At a BYU devotional in 2017, and in regard to members of the Church with an experience under the LGBT+ acronym,  Elder Ballard said, “We must do better than we have done in the past so that all members feel they have a spiritual home where their brothers and sisters love them and where they have a place to worship and serve the Lord.” 

At the same time, pride celebrations are advertised by many as the best way to show LGBT+ people love and support. This juxtaposition has led some to the conclusion that the brethren are instructing us to use pride celebrations as the catalyst for showing “support” for LGBT+ people. But what message are we sending when we support such a movement? [Read more…] about Beyond the Rainbow: Supporting LGBT+ Saints Faithfully

The Joseph Smith Papers, Documents, Volume 14: 1 January–15 May 1844

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The volume editors – Spencer W. McBride, Adam H. Petty, Jessica M. Nelson, and Alex D. Smith

I recently had the opportunity to meet with the editors of this latest volume and see some of the included documents firsthand. The volume covers the first four and a half months of 1844, ending just 43 days before Joseph Smith’s death. There will be one more volume published after this, and then the series will be finished. There are 99 documents, including letters to (mostly) and from Joseph Smith, discourses, a short revelation, and a poem he wrote in an autograph book. During the time period covered, Joseph started the Council of Fifty, announced his presidential campaign, dealt with increasing hostility from various sources including former church members, and brought forth new doctrine, among other things. [Read more…] about The Joseph Smith Papers, Documents, Volume 14: 1 January–15 May 1844

Come, Follow Me with FAIR: Faithful Answers to New Testament Questions – Matthew 26; Mark 14; John 13

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Evangelical Questions: The Sacrament

by Jennifer Roach, MDiv, LMHC

Welcome back to Come Follow Me with FAIR: Faithful Answers to New Testament Questions. My name is Jennifer Roach and today we’re going to talk about the sacrament. As you know we’re going through the Come Follow Me readings and addressing common questions that Evangelicals ask about our faith as we go along. Our purpose here is not to fuel debate but to help you understand where your Evangelical friends and family are coming from so that you can have better conversations with them, and perhaps even be able to offer them a bit of our faith in a way they can understand. [Read more…] about Come, Follow Me with FAIR: Faithful Answers to New Testament Questions – Matthew 26; Mark 14; John 13

Asking Big Questions: How do I keep my Testimony?

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In a world of so many opinions and voices, it can be hard to find the truth and gain a testimony. But what comes next can be just as hard – keeping that testimony. Once a testimony has been gained, how do you keep your testimony?

Alma’s Insight

In the Book of Mormon, the prophet Alma invites us to treat the word of God as a seed, and plant it in our hearts, then care for it until it begins to grow. If it grows, then we will have received a testimony that it is good and true – but he doesn’t stop there.

“And behold, after ye have tasted this light, is your knowledge perfect? Behold I say unto you, nay; neither must ye lay aside your faith… if ye nourish it with much care, it will get root and grow up, and bring forth fruit…” (Alma 32:28-43) 

We must continually do the things that helped us gain our testimony in the first place, to help it grow – study the scriptures and the doctrine of the Gospel, continually pray to Heavenly Father to help us know the truth, and live that which we know to be true.

We as children of God were never meant to stay the same throughout our entire lives, nor were our testimonies. Just like any living thing, they require nourishment and care to grow, and stay alive.

Keep your testimony alive

The Lord counseled the prophet Wilford Woodruff:

“Pray always and faint not; exercise faith in the Lord and in the promises of God; be valiant in the testimony of Jesus Christ. The eyes of the Lord and the Heavenly Hosts are watching over you and your acts. Therefore be faithful until I come.”

We can also apply the counsel the Lord gave Wilford Woodruff:

First

The Lord reminded Woodruff to pray always and not faint. Prayer is our communication with our Heavenly Father. It doesn’t have to be memorized or eloquent. It can be silent or spoken. Our Heavenly Father loves us and listens to us when we open our hearts to Him in prayer. As we communicate with Him, He speaks to us in return. We call that process personal revelation. Frequently during or after a prayer, we may feel a prompting to take action. 

“Act on your righteous desires. There is wisdom in the saying, “Pray as if everything depends on the Lord, then work as if everything depends on you.” It is in the process of doing that we often get guidance and help from God.” How to Pray

As we speak with God and learn to receive guidance from Him, we’re enabled to do the second thing the Lord counseled Wilford to do.

Second Step

Wilford was counseled to “exercise faith in the Lord and in the promises of God.” Faith is ultimately a principle of action. One way we ‘exercise faith’ is to act upon guidance we receive when we pray. Elder Bednar said:

“Taking action is the exercise of faith. The children of Israel are carrying the ark of the covenant. They come to the River Jordan. The promise is they will cross over on dry land. When does the water part? When their feet are wet. They walk into the river—act. Power follows—the water parts.

“We oftentimes believe, “I’m going to have this perfect understanding, and then I’m going to transform that into what I do.” I would suggest that we have enough to get started. We have a sense of the right direction. Faith is a principle—the principle—of action and of power. True faith is focused in and on the Lord Jesus Christ and always leads to action.”

As we take action, we increasingly see the power of God at work in our lives.

Third is be Valiant

As Wilford, we are also called to be valiant in the testimony of Jesus. “Each of us will be called upon to act in moments that are difficult and yet defining,” Elder Golden taught. “These moments will determine who we are and what we have become.”  Elder Cook helps us understand a little better how to be valiant:

“To be valiant, we need to focus on the power of Jesus Christ and His atoning sacrifice to overcome death and, through our repentance, to cleanse us from sin, and we need to follow the doctrine of Christ.29 We also need the light and knowledge of the Savior’s life and teachings to guide us on the covenant pathway, including the sacred ordinances of the temple. We must be steadfast in Christ, feast upon His word, and endure to the end.”

Wilford spent the remainder of his life sharing his testimony and living the gospel to the fullest of his ability. He said “I count it a privilege to join my Brethren in bearing my testimony of the things of God.”

May we always seek to live and share that which we know to be true. As we nourish our testimonies, the Lord will bless our efforts and it will flourish into a beautiful garden of gospel truths.

Come, Follow Me with FAIR: Faithful Answers to New Testament Questions – Joseph Smith—Matthew 1; Matthew 24–25; Mark 12–13; Luke 21

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Evangelical Questions: The Rapture

by Jennifer Roach, MDiv, LMHC

Welcome back to Come Follow Me with FAIR: Faithful Answers to New Testament Questions. My name is Jennifer Roach and today we’re going to talk about the rapture. As you know we’re going through the Come Follow Me readings and addressing common questions that Evangelicals ask about our faith as we go along. Our purpose here is not to fuel debate but to help you understand where your Evangelical friends and family are coming from so that you can have better conversations with them, and perhaps even be able to offer them a bit of our faith in a way they can understand. [Read more…] about Come, Follow Me with FAIR: Faithful Answers to New Testament Questions – Joseph Smith—Matthew 1; Matthew 24–25; Mark 12–13; Luke 21

A Prophecy Fulfilled: Church finances are a blessing from God

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In early 2012, the economy wasn’t feeling all that good. The Great Recession had technically ended in 2009, but the recovery was weak. The Center for American Progress lamented “the slowest growth during the first eight quarters of an economic recovery since World War II.” Unemployment was still high–9.1% in August 2011–and job growth had slowed. The European sovereign debt crisis was keeping markets nervous. And DJIA, which had climbed to 20,000 in 2007 before plunging to 10,000 in 2009, was only back up to around 17,000.  [Read more…] about A Prophecy Fulfilled: Church finances are a blessing from God

Letter For My Wife Rebuttal, Part 17: The Early Church – Polygamy [B]

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In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we’re frequently taught to value honesty. Primary children sing “I Believe in Being Honest.” Our 13th Article of Faith declares openly that we believe in being honest. It’s actively encouraged by our Apostles. Our temple recommend question was recently updated from, “Are you honest in your dealings with your fellow man?” to the even wider-reaching, “Do you strive to be honest in all that you do?” Our scriptures teach us to deal with men honestly and to be open and honest in our conversation and renounce the hidden things of dishonesty, because those with honest hearts are accepted by the Lord, while liars will be thrust down to Hell.

[Read more…] about Letter For My Wife Rebuttal, Part 17: The Early Church – Polygamy [B]

Come, Follow Me with FAIR: Faithful Answers to New Testament Questions – Matthew 21–23; Mark 11; Luke 19–20; John 12

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Evangelical Questions: Holy Week

by Jennifer Roach, MDiv, LMHC

Welcome back to Come Follow Me with FAIR: Faithful Answers to New Testament Questions. My name is Jennifer Roach and today we’re going to talk about Holy Week. As you know we’re going through the Come Follow Me readings and addressing common questions that Evangelicals ask about our faith as we go along. Our purpose here is not to fuel debate but to help you understand where your Evangelical friends and family are coming from so that you can have better conversations with them, and perhaps even be able to offer them a bit of our faith in a way they can understand. [Read more…] about Come, Follow Me with FAIR: Faithful Answers to New Testament Questions – Matthew 21–23; Mark 11; Luke 19–20; John 12