The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ

In my last post, I talked about our belief in an added book of scripture, the Book of Mormon.  A very understandable question some ask is "why do you have another book when you have the Bible?"  Before I answer that, let me just say that I love and honor the Bible as being Holy Scripture, and that I read it and try to apply it to my life.  It is a record of God's dealings with His children, and teaches of the life of Christ.
Now I want you to imagine something; I want you to imagine that Christianity was on trial - a trial to show whether or not it was true.  Well, that isn't so hard to imagine, it is on trial!  All throughout the world, in our schools, our political gatherings, and in many an individual's heart, Christianity is being doubted and dissected, made fun of and mocked, debated and declared irrelevant.  The Bible holds the stand as a witness in this all too literal trial (in fact, the word Testament can also be used to mean a witness).  And yet so many doubt this sacred witness.
Wouldn't it help if another witness took the stand, and supported what the Bible has already said about the divinity of Jesus Christ?  How could one have too many witnesses in defense of such a noble truth?  It is my belief that God has sent, at this most crucial part of the trial of the faith, another witness for us to hold up in defense of Christ and His teachings.  And who would want to tear down such a thing as this?
Now you may cross-examine the witness, in fact such is what you must do if you want to know for yourself if it is true.  Search it for yourself, don't just take someone else's word about it, and then ask God if it is a true witness of His Son, and if He sent it.  If you really want to know, why wouldn't He answer you?  If it isn't true, He wouldn't want you to follow it; but if it is a second witness, meant to back up what the Bible says, He would let you know.
Now in a trial, do two witnesses say the exact same thing, word for word?  No, if they are telling the truth they would each tell what happened from their own perspective.  So the Bible and the Book of Mormon each tells of Jesus Christ, and testify that He is the Savior and the Son of God, from their own perspective.
I add my witness that these two great witnesses, the Bible and the Book of Mormon, are both true; and that means that Christianity is not a dead religion, that it is also true, that everything that it teaches actually applies today!  I have read them both, their testimonies agree, and God has let me know that He sent them both to the witness-stand in the trial that the world is holding of His Gospel.  I speak the truth, so help me God!

(To have a free copy of the Book of Mormon delivered to your home, please visit http://www.mormon.org/free-book-of-Mormon)

So why the name "Mormons?"

When someone tells you, "I'm a Mormon," what runs through your mind?  Many have heard the term before, while some have not.  "Mormon" is a nickname, and one that I, as an individual member gladly accept (I will go into the why of this in bit).  The official name of our church is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; perhaps in another post I will go into the meaning behind the name, but for today's post suffice it to say that it has sacred meaning to us, and we are encouraged to use the full name when referring to the actual Church itself.  However it is perfectly acceptable to refer to an individual member as "a Mormon."
Over the course of this blog I hope to answer many of the questions about who we are and what we believe, but for now I'll focus on the origin and meaning of the name "Mormon."
At the same time as many of the stories in the Bible took place in Israel, another group of God's children, living in the Americas, spoke with God and recorded His teachings and direction.  Their history covers over 1,000 years.  Sometimes they followed God and were blessed, and sometimes they didn't and lost His protection.  Finally, around A.D. 400, they were destroyed by their enemies after rejecting God's protecting help. 
A righteous man and a devoted believer of Christ, named Mormon, spent his life gathering, protecting, and compiling the teachings of Christ to them.  These were then hidden to keep them safe, and centuries later God directed another man, Joseph Smith, to find, translate, and publish this record as an additional witness of Christ's Divinity and role as the only source of salvation.  This record is called The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ.  People who heard of our church in connection with this newly revealed book of scripture took to calling us "Mormons."  While some may use the term with derision, for me it serves as a reminder of the need to follow Christ, no matter what.
Mormon's role in giving us more knowledge from heaven gives us great respect for him as man of God, and so we welcome association with him.  I admire him as a man who gave his all for the word of God, and who made it possible for me to deepen my trust, belief, and faith in Jesus Christ.

For more on the meaning and use of the term, visit http://www.mormon.org/faq/why-mormons

In the Beginning...

This would seems a very bold undertaking, to attempt to outline the beliefs and teachings of a church with over 15 million members, if not for the fact that this about what I believe.  I will often include statements from holy scripture and from modern-day church leaders, but in the end this is about what it means to me, in my own words.
I hope that this blog ends up being more of a conversation than a series of lectures; and with this in mind I only ask what the Savior Himself entreated of us, do unto others as you would have them do unto you.  I promise never to attack the beliefs of another, and I ask in your questions and comments the same kindness.
I hope that through reading my words you may begin to draw closer to God and His Beloved Son, whether through learning more of what I believe, or discovering for yourself what you believe.