Our LDS Life

There’s a common misconception that Latter-day Saints believe we have to “work our way to heaven.” Of course this isn’t true. Who on the planet would ever live perfect enough to “work their way to heaven?” The only person I know who lived a perfect life was Jesus Christ. All of us need grace to bridge the gap between our efforts and what God requires. I think Michaelangelo’s “Hand of God” would be the most accurate depiction of the LDS belief in Faith, Works and Grace.

We reach toward His reaching. We do what we know to do, repent as we go along, strive to follow Him more faithfully, and leave the rest to the atonement of Jesus Christ. I think the miscommunication about faith, works and grace between Latter-day Saints and other Christians boils down to the definition of the word “faith.” If faith means simply “having a belief in something” but not necessarily acting upon it, then Latter-day Saints would say you need more than faith. But Latter-day Saints use faith as an action word. True faith in Jesus Christ leads you to take action. What good is believing that a seed will grow if you never take action to plant it in the ground? Held in your hand forever, you’ll never taste the fruit. True faith makes you put that seed in the ground, and patiently hope long enough to enjoy the harvest.

I like the way Ether 12:3-4 puts it::

“…by faith all things are fulfilled — wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, making an achor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God.”

The action-oriented faith is clear in this passage. Faith makes you hope, and hope anchors your soul and makes you sure, steadfast, and always abounding in good works. This, naturally, brings glory to God. True faith changes your life. It transforms you into someone better. That is because when you humble yourself enough to act in faith on what God asks you to do, you activate His grace in your behalf. This is when amazing things happen and miracles occur.

As Moroni said, “I would show unto the world that faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith.”

If you want to pass the trial of your faith, you’ll take action upon commandments and spiritual impressions. As you step into the darkness, Christ’s grace is activated on your behalf. It doesn’t matter how untalented, weak or incapable you may be, with God all things are possible.

“And if men come unto me, I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble: and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me: for if they humble themselves before me and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them” (Ether 12:27).

One of the most singular beliefs of members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is that Jesus Christ visited the Americas after his resurrection from the dead. The centerpiece of The Book of Mormon is a record of this visit and what Jesus taught the people here right after his resurrection. One of my favorite parts of this account is found in 3 Nephi 17.

When Jesus had thus spoken, he cast his eyes round about again on the multitude, and beheld they were in tears, and did look steadfastly upon him as if they would ask him to tarry a little longer with them.

And he said unto them: Behold, my bowels are filled with compassion towards you. Have ye any that are sick among you? Bring them hither. Have ye any that are lame, or blind, or halt, or maimed, or leprous, or that are withered, or that are deaf, or that are afflicted in any manner? Bring them hither and I will heal them, for I have compassion upon you; my bowels are filled with mercy.

For I perceive that ye desire that I should show unto you what I have done unto your brethren at Jerusalem, for I see that your faith is sufficient that I should heal you.

When he had thus spoken, all the multitude, with one accord, did go forth with their sick and their afflicted, and their lame, and with their blind, and with their dumb, and with all them that were afflicted in any manner; and he did heal them every one as they were brought forth unto him.

And they did all, both they who had been healed and they who were whole, bow down at his feet, and did worship him; and as many as could come for the multitude did kiss his feet, insomuch that they did bathe his feet with their tears.

And it came to pass that he commanded that their little children should be brought. So they brought their little children and set them down upon the ground round about him, and Jesus stood in the midst; and the multitude gave way till they had all been brought unto him.

When they had all been brought, and Jesus stood in the midst, he commanded the multitude that they should kneel down upon the ground.  When they had knelt upon the ground, Jesus groaned within himself, and said: Father, I am troubled because of the wickedness of the people of the house of Israel.

When he had said these words, he himself also knelt upon the earth; and behold he prayed unto the Father, and the things which he prayed cannot be written, and the multitude did bear record who heard him.

And after this manner do they bear record: The eye hath never seen, neither hath the ear heard, before, so great and marvelous things as we saw and heard Jesus speak unto the Father;

No tongue can speak, neither can there be written by any man, neither can the hearts of men conceive so great and marvelous things as we both saw and heard Jesus speak; and no one can conceive of the joy which filled our souls at the time we heard him pray for us unto the Father.

And it came to pass that when Jesus had made an end of praying unto the Father, he arose; but so great was the joy of the multitude that they were overcome. Jesus spake unto them, and bade them arise. And they arose from the earth, and he said unto them: Blessed are ye because of your faith. And now behold, my joy is full.

When he had said these words, he wept, and the multitude bare record of it, and he took their little children, one by one, and blessed them, and prayed unto the Father for them.

When he had done this he wept again; and he spake unto the multitude, and said unto them: Behold your little ones.

And as they looked to behold they cast their eyes towards heaven, and they saw the heavens open, and they saw angels descending out of heaven as it were in the midst of fire; and they came down and encircled those little ones about, and they were encircled about with fire; and the angels did minister unto them.

The multitude did see and hear and bear record; and they know that their record is true for they all of them did see and hear, every man for himself; and they were in number about two thousand and five hundred souls; and they did consist of men, women, and children.