So great were the confusion and strife among the different denominations, that it was impossible for a person young as I was … to come to any certain conclusion who was right and who was wrong … In the midst of this war of words and tumult of opinions, I often said to myself: What is to be done? Who of all these parties are right; or, are they all wrong together? If any one of them be right, which is it, and how shall I know it?

While he searched for truth with these thoughts in mind, he turned to the words in the Bible and he came across a verse in the Book of John that reads, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him” (James 1:5) This verse made a very strong impression on him that he desired to ask the truth from God. In the spring of 1820, he humbled himself in prayer and supplication to know which sect to join. He wrote, continuing the verses in Joseph Smith – History chapter 1 verses 16-17, describing his experience:

“I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me [ … ] When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other-This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!”

In this vision, he was instructed not to join any denomination since none had the fullness of the gospel. This does not mean that everyone was evil and did not believed in Christ. It just means that they did not have the fullness of the gospel or the priesthood authority to baptize and perform other saving ordinances.

Like the times of old, the Lord called Joseph Smith to be the prophet of this last dispensation. He was visited and instructed by a heavenly messenger named Moroni to recover a book which contains the fullness of the gospel. Upon obtaining the book written in gold plates, he was commanded to translate the book in English language. Having these gold plates in his hands, every stratagem was devised to get the plates from him to get rich and to alter the sacred truths written on it. However, with Joseph’s faithfulness, the plates remained safe in his hands until he finished translating the book.

Joseph Smith Jr. was called by the Lord to establish The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. “John the Baptist appeared and conferred upon Joseph Smith and his associate Oliver Cowdery the Aaronic Priesthood, which includes the authority to perform the ordinance of baptism. Peter, James and John (three of Christ’s original Apostles) appeared and conferred the Melchizedek Priesthood upon Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery, restoring the same authority given to Christ’s Apostles anciently.” (Preach My Gospel, p. 37) These priesthoods have been conferred to every living prophet after Joseph Smith until today.

Aside from his role in the Church, he was also a husband and a father. Although he was busy with his responsibilities as the prophet of the Church, he did not fail to give time to strengthen his relationship with his family. In times of persecution and imprisonment, his family was always in his thoughts. He exemplified the teachings of the Church on the importance of family in this life and the life to come.

He was persecuted and murdered while steadfastly holding on to the gospel of Jesus Christ that it was written of him, “”he lived great, and he died great in the eyes of God and his people; and . . . has sealed his mission and his works with his own blood” (Doctrine and Covenants 135:3) He was a prophet, seer and revelator. Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints do not worship him but recognize his faith and devotion on the restoration of the fullness of the gospel in this last dispensation. Knowing Joseph Smith brings us to an understand that there is a God and He lives and loves us and that there is a true Church He wants His children to know.

The post Knowing Joseph Smith and the First Vision appeared first on morefaith.ph.

Unang ginamit ang salitang trinity sa salitang Griego noong 170 AD. Ipinaliwanag ng interviewer ko na born again Christian ang kahulugan ng trinity gaya ng itinuro ng mga Katolikong Katekista sa mga klase ko noon. Ang trinity ay ang paniniwala na ang Diyos Ama, Anak, at Espiritu Santo ay tatlong persona na nasa iisang katauhan lamang. Ang paniniwalang ito ay karaniwan sa mga relihiyong Kristiyano.

Ano ang naging sagot ko sa tanong ng interviewer kung naniniwala ba ang mga Mormon sa trinity?  Direkta kong sinabi na hindi.  Ang mga Latter-Day Saints o mas kilala bilang mga Mormon ay naniniwala na magkakahiwalay na nilalang ang Diyos Ama, Anak at Espiritu Santo. Silang tatlo ay iisang Diyos dahil iisa ang kanilang layunin ngunit silang tatlo ay magkakahiwalay na nilalang.

Malinaw itong mailalarawan sa pangitain na naganap kay Joseph Smith.

Noong 1820, 14 na taon lamang si Joseph Smith noon, ay may kakaibang sigasig sa relihiyon ang mga tao sa Manchester, New York kung saan siya nakatira. Gusto niyang maging miyembro sa isa sa mga simbahan pero gusto niyang malaman muna kung alin sa mga ito ang totoo. Matapos mabasa ang Santiago 1:5 na nagsasabing, “Ngunit kung nagkukulang ng karunungan ang sinoman sa inyo, ay humingi sa Diyos, na nagbibigay ng sagana sa lahat, at hindi nanunumbat; at ito’y ibibigay sa kanya,” nagpasya siyang magtanong sa Diyos. Pumunta siya sa isang kakahuyan at nagdasal.  Habang nananalangin, naganap ang kanyang pangitain.  Sa sariling mga salita ni Joseph:

“Ako’y nakakita ng isang haligi ng liwanag na tamang-tama sa tapat ng aking ulo … Nang tumuon sa akin ang liwanag, nakakita ako ng dalawang katauhan … Ang isa sa kanila ay nagsalita sa akin at nagsabi, tinuturo ang isa—Ito ang Aking pinakamamahal na Anak. Pakinggan Siya.”

Sa pangitaing ito, nakita ni Joseph Smith ang Ama sa Langit at si Jesucristo bilang dalawang magkahiwalay na nilalang. Nang ikwento ito ni Joseph sa isang ministro noong panahong iyon, hindi siya pinaniwalaan dahil taliwas ito sa karaniwang paniniwala sa “trinity” ng mga relihiyong Kristiyano. Gayunpaman, kahit hindi pinaniwalaan si Joseph Smith ng mga tao sa kanyang nakita, sinabi niya, “Ako’y tunay na nakakita ng liwanag, at sa gitna ng liwanag na yaon, nakakita ako ng dalawang katauhan, at sa katotohanan ay kinausap nila ako; at bagaman kinamuhian ako at inusig sa pagsasabi na nakakita ako ngpangitain, gayon man ito’y totoo; at habang ako’y kanilang inuusig, ako’y kanilang nilalait, at nagsasabi ng lahat ng uri ng kasamaan laban sa akin nang walang katotohanan sa pagsasabi nito, dahil dito ay nasabi ko sa aking puso: … Ako ay tunay na nakakita ng pangitain … Bakit iniisip ng sanlibutan na ipagkakaila ko ang aking tunay na nakita?”

Sa panalangin ni Jesus sa Juan 17 sa Bibliya, makikita natin ang kahulugan kung paano naging isa si Jesus sa Ama sa Langit. Sinasabi sa talata 11, “Amang Banal, ingatan mo sila sa iyong pangalan yaong mga ibinigay mo sa akin, upang sila’y maging isa, na gaya naman natin.” Mauunawaan natin dito na iisa ang Diyos Ama at Anak sa layunin at kahit tayo ay maaaring maging isa sa Kanila kung “makikiisa” tayo sa kalooban Nila.

Balik sa aking job interview…

Pagkatapos kong ipaliwanag sa interviewer na hindi naniniwala ang mga Mormon sa trinity, magalang niyang ipinaliwanag sa akin na magkakaroon ng conflict sa mga pinaniniwalaan ko at sa mga nais nilang ipaturo sa akin sa mga tao kung matatanggap ako.  Sa madaling salita ay hindi ako na-hire sa trabahong iyon.  Gusto ko talaga ang trabahong iyon kaya medyo nalungkot ako. Pero ngayon, ang puso ko ay mas puno ng pasasalamat dahil sa isang batang lalaking nagngangalang Joseph Smith na nagtanong sa Diyos. Dahil dito ay nalaman niya kung ano ang tunay na katangian ng Diyos Ama, Anak at Espiritu Santo. Gaya niya, sinunod ko ang Santiago 1:5. Nagtanong din ako sa Diyos at nalaman ko rin na si Joseph Smith ay isang propeta at ang kanyang pangitain ay totoo. Naniniwala ako bilang isang Mormon na ang mapagmahal na Ama sa Langit, si Jesucristo at ang Espiritu Santo ay tatlong magkakahiwalay na nilalang na may iisang layunin.

[author] [author_image timthumb=’on’]http://faith.ph/files/2016/02/Diana-Cruz.jpg[/author_image] [author_info]I am a translator/proofreader by profession and a former preschool teacher. I love writing poems and reading the whole day (and that’s wonderfully part of my job). Most of all, I love my family and the Lord. -Diana Cruz[/author_info] [/author]

The post Naniniwala ba ang mga Mormon sa “Trinity?” appeared first on morefaith.ph.