SERMON: Enduring to the End

A Sermon by Matthew P Gill

The fourteenth Article of Faith reminds us that we, ‘hope to be able to endure all things,’ whatever life brings us. And although our challenges may be different, enduring to the end simply means enduring each day well, and faithfully. Endurance knows no time or season. It is a concern of both the elderly and the young. We are tempted at all ages, and none of us know when we will die. Each day we must make the right decisions that will keep us on the road to eternal life.

Enduring life well requires positive action. We must consciously act to improve ourselves if we are to ‘do good’ and ‘hold out faithful to the end’ (D&C 8:5; 6:13/Utah). If we truly follow Christ, our endurance will be productive, not passive. Enduring well means developing faith, devotion, patience, long-suffering, cheerfulness, love, and selfless service. These are the qualities that we as Latter Day Mormons should always be striving for as we endure righteously.

By being baptised into the Gospel and becoming a member of The Latter Day Church of Jesus Christ shows positive action, but the road to eternal life does not end with baptism or membership. Whether we receive the blessings of all principles and ordinances of the Gospel depends on our continued faithfulness. Baptism and membership are important parts of the endurance process because it places us on the right path to eternal life. Both of these things can and should give us ‘a determination to serve him to the end’ (D&C 2:7; 20:7/Utah)

The Prophet Joseph Smith is a great example to us as Latter Day Mormons of enduring to the end. The Prophet never let any trial stop him in the pursuit of his ultimate goals, and even when his life was in risk never gave up. We. like Joseph Smith, must follow the Saviour to the end, through trails and persecution, through wealth and ease, through periods of tiredness, and through all other hazards of mortality. Regardless of the adversities and the difficulties we encounter in striving faithfully to endure, success can be achieved. This, we can and must do if we would enjoy the blessings promised to us as Latter Day Mormons.

From the Lectures on Faith in the Doctrine & Covenants, we are taught that those who sacrifice all for the sake of the Gospel, “will have the testimony that their course is pleasing in the sight of God, and those who have this testimony will have faith to lay hold on eternal life, and will be enabled, through faith, to endure unto the end, and receive the crown that is laid up for them that love the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (D&C Lecture 6, 6:10)

Latter Day Mormons, having the witness of the Book of Jeraneck, learn from it many great feats of endurance and faithfulness to Almighty God.

The Prophet Hadjaneck, for example, said to God’s People of Light, “The Lord has promised through revelation that if we, his people are faithful and obedient that we shall become one with him,” and this is true for us today.

So, let us remember that even though our contributions seem small, they are a significant part of enduring to the end. If we follow Christ, enduring well to the end, we can say with Paul, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith, henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day.”

Let us brace ourselves, therefore, to our duty and endure with faithfulness and determination to the end.  

OFFICIAL STATEMENT: Church Leader Calls for Prayers for Victims of Boston Marathon Bombings

Matthew P. Gill, the Prophet, Seer and Revelator of the Latter Day Church of Jesus Christ, has released the following statement:

"I am distressed to hear the news coming out of Boston, Massachusetts tonight of the bombings during the Marathon, which have resulted in deaths and injuries. The thoughts and prayers of myself, my family and the entire Church are with those who were injured and with the families of those who lost loved ones in this horrific attack. May the peace of God, which passes all understanding, be with them all."

Reading: Persecuted "with all manner of words" (Alma Chapter 1)

"But it came to pass that whosoever did not belong to the Church of God, began to persecute those that did belong to the Church of God, and had taken upon them the name of Christ; yea, they did persecute them, and afflict them with all manner of words, and this because of their humility; because they were not proud in their own eyes, and because they did impart the word of God, one with another, without money and without price." 

Alma Chapter 1 (1830) 1:20-21/Utah

Reading : "...let every man learn his duty..." D&C 3:44 (107:99 Utah)

"Wherefore, now let every man learn his duty, and to act in the office in which he is appointed, in all diligence."
- D&C 3:44 (107:99 Utah)

SERMON: Sacrifice Brings Blessings

A Sermon by Matthew P Gill

One of the first principles God taught Adam and Eve was the Law of Sacrifice, and, in every dispensation since, that law has been consistently stressed. Whether the sacrifice involved burnt offerings, the consecration of all possessions to a united order, tithing, fast offerings, or less prescribed giving of ourselves and our possessions, we have been taught from the beginning that ‘it is more blessed to give than to receive’ (Acts 20:35).

The greedy, gasping person is usually unhappy, for he is seeking happiness by acquiring material things rather than seeking lasting things such as personal relationships. An old Scandinavian proverb says ‘Bare is his back who bears no brother.’ Such a person has not learned to follow the counsel that Paul gave to the Colossians ‘Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth’ (Colossians 3:2). When we sacrifice, we are building up our personal spiritual reserve and resources, not our earthly reserves, and for Latter Day Mormon that should be our goal, and nothing else.

Sacrifice is the crowning test of the gospel. Men are tried and tested in this mortal probation to see if they will put first in their lives the things of the Kingdom of God (Matt. 6:33). To gain eternal life, they must be willing, if called upon, to sacrifice all things for the gospel, we must be willing to sacrifice, there is no point calling yourself a Latter Day Mormon is you are not prepared to sacrifice and show God that He is the one in charge.

Those who understand the Law of Sacrifice rarely think of contributions to the Lord’s cause as a sacrifice at all. We may think that being a member of the true church needs no more sacrifice that becoming a member. When we think of sacrifice, we tend to think of such dramatic offerings as Abraham’s willingness to give his only son of the Prophet Joseph Smiths willingness to meet a brutal death, or of Ester’s willingness to put her life in jeopardy for he countrymen (Ester 4:16). Sacrificing one life, however, is not the only way to give of oneself for the building of the kingdom of God. The Lord requires a broken heart and contrite spirit. Individual circumstances must determine what kind of sacrifice the person is asked to give. ‘The Lord requireth the heart and a willing mind, and the willing and obedient shall eat the good of the land of Zion in these last days (D&C 21:7/ 64:34Utah)

In matters of sacrifice, the question of ‘How much is enough?’ can be painful question. Sacrifice requires giving at some cost. David, at least, thought so. When Araunah the Jebusite graciously offered to give him oxen and wood for a sacrifice, David replied, “Nay but I will surely buy it of thee at a price; neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the Lord my God of that which doth cost me nothing.” (2 Samuel 24:24). Sacrifice, to be effective, must cost something. The parable of the widow’s mite suggests that the relative personal cost is more important than absolute monetary value of the sacrifice.

For Latter Day Mormons, one story in the Bible should stand out and enable us to strive to sacrifice. In Mark 10:17-22, Jesus gave one of the most thought-provoking answers to the question of how much sacrifice is truly enough. When a young man asked him, ‘What should I do that I may inherit eternal life?’ The Saviour responded by reciting some of the Ten Commandments. Then the young man said to him, ‘Master, all these have I observed from my youth.’ Christ ‘beholding him, loved him’ and explained to the young man the sacrifice by which he might attain eternal life. ‘One thing thou lackest, go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven, and come, take up the cross, and follow me.’ The young man, Mark tells us, ‘was sad at that saying, and went away grieved, for he had great possessions.” The true disciple must offer his whole soul and be willing to observe every sacrifice required by the Lord (Omni 1:26; D&C 81:2/97:8Utah)

So it is so very important that Latter Day Mormons remember that the Law of Sacrifice means that we are willing to sacrifice all that we have for the sake of truth: our character and reputation our honour and applause, our good name among men, our homes, lands, and families, all things, even our very lives if need be. (Lecture on Faith 6:5)

For, “When a man has of­fered in sacrifice all that he has, for the truth's sake, not even withholding his life, and believing before God that he has been called to make this sacrifice, because he seeks to do his will, he does know most assuredly, that God does and will accept his sacrifice & offering, and that he has not nor will not seek his face in vain.” (Lecture 6, 6:7)

Those faithful servants who make the sacrifice will have the testimony that their course is pleasing in the sight of God.

SERMON: Mary Magdelene, Witness of the Risen Lord

Noli me Tangere by Hans Holbein the Younger, 1524
(Copyright free image)

The New Passover ("Easter") is the Greatest Story ever told. All of you know the story, but I want to speak about the part of the story in which Mary Magdalene meets Jesus at the empty tomb.

This story is found only in the Gospel of John, and is very much understated in the whole of the story of Jesus Christ's resurrection. For Latter Day Mormons, it is a very important story, and one that I think is missing from the other Gospels - maybe because Mary only told it to John personally.

Everything about this little story within a bigger story rings true to human nature as we know it. A woman alone by an empty tomb, weeping, wondering what has happened to the body of the Lord she loved. While the woman knelt alone weeping by the tomb Jesus suddenly appears, she doesn't recognise him at first. Then the women so overcome with joy and the spirit reaches out to touch the Christ she knows and loves, who confides in her that he has not yet fully resurrected and come unto his father. The vignette ends with the mourner turned into a missionary, running to tell the others what she has just seen and heard.

Although Mary Magdalene plays an important role in the life of Christ, the wider world knows very little about her and her role in the life of Christ. What we as Latter Day Mormons do know is that she is one of at least five different women named “Mary” in the New Testament, and unless we are careful, we will get them confused.

Mary Magdalene was one of a group of women who became followers of Christ during his earthly ministry. We know that she joined herself to Jesus in a way that no other women had ever done, As Latter Day Mormons, we know through modern revelation that Jesus loved her more than any other woman, indeed, more than any other of his disciples, and that they indeed were married. It has been taught by people down the ages, and is still taught by some, that Mary Magdalene was the woman caught in adultery (John 8:1-11), but there is no evidence in the text to support this claim.

Others suggest she was the “sinful woman” who anointed the feet of Jesus in Luke 7:36-50, but the Bible does not make that clear, either. There is some tradition among many churches that it makes her a promiscuous woman, but there is no reason to say that based on the facts. After a time throughout Christian churches she became a symbol for repentant sinners who come to Christ from very chequered and colourful backgrounds, this may in fact be true in her case, but we have no way to be certain as to the validity of the stories attributed to Mary.

Far from doing Mary and her reputation throughout the world good, it has meant that this wonderful woman has been darkened and tainted with sin, sin which can not be proved she had committed.

However, this much we do know: That through her love and discipleship, Christ set her free, and liberated her from the world that surrounded her - a world that had kept her chained figuratively to darkness. Mary Magdalene is living proof that those whom the Lord sets free are free indeed. Having been liberated from the world around her, she said to herself, "I love him for what he did for me. I will follow him wherever he goes." And so when it came time for our Lord to offer his life and was hung on the cross, she stood nearby with Mary, his mother.

When they took his body down from the cross, she was there to see that awful image of her Lord. When they placed him in the tomb, she was sitting on a rock ledge, watching it all happen (Matthew 27:61). And so when the Sabbath had concluded, Mary, this woman whom the Lord had set free from the bondage of the world, this woman who loved him and followed him, and this woman who was there at his death, now went forth and purchased spices because she hoped to anoint his dead body. The Lord was hastily buried on Friday in order to finish before sundown, which is why they had not finished preparing his body.

Early on Sunday morning, before the sun came up, she and the other women ventured through the darkness to the Garden Tomb, expecting to finish the job of anointing the body of Jesus. When the women came upon the tomb they found it empty, they were confused and terrified. Then they saw and heard angels of the Father and they told them that Christ had risen from the dead.

They returned to tell the disciples who did not believe such a thing possible even though the Lord has told them such things were possible and that he would be resurrected. And so John and Peter went and investigated, and when they saw the linen wrappings exactly where the body had been placed on Friday evening, they believed, now they believed and they ran to tell the others of what they had seen. At that point, Mary Magdalene returned to the tomb alone, confused, bewildered, in shock, frightened, and of course at the very heart of it, brokenhearted, her beloved not there, but missing. It has not yet occurred to her that the empty tomb meant that Jesus had risen from the dead.

It has often been said that Mary Magdalene was last at the cross and first at the tomb. Even though this may sound a slight to Mary it must be remembered that that can not be said of the men who followed Jesus, the men who lived by his side as she did, the men who saw his do so many great and wondrous things.

Mary was the first to see him alive and the first to hear his voice, this is the one person he chose to see first, he chose her above his Apostles, and he chose his beloved. The irony of the story is that when she saw him, she didn't recognize him. But when the truth hit home, she became the first evangelist in Christian history. As Latter Day Mormons we must always remember that Christ bestowed this great honour on her because she loved him so deeply and so devotedly, and he loved her.

Let us, therefore, be inspired by this great woman of faith to be faithful in our devotion to Christ and in our duties to honour God.

Reading: "Behold, I bleed for you..." Jeraneck 16:42-45

And the Lord spoke unto me and said, “Behold my birth, for I will come in humble circumstances and I will bear witness of the Father and I will teach the Gospel unto all that will listen. Now look,” And I looked and I saw that he was older and in his mid years and I saw that he was in a garden and I saw that he bled from his skin and the Lord said unto me,

“Behold, I bleed for you and your people behold I bleed for all that have lived and will ever live. I bleed and take upon my self the sins of the entire world.” and then I saw that the people spat on him and whipped him and they placed thorns on his head and they nailed him to a tree in the form of a cross and there he died.

And my heart sank that the people would do this. Now the Lord commanded me to look and I saw that he had risen from the dead and that he walked upon the earth once again and that he did many great things unto the people.

Book of Jeraneck 16:42-45

NEWS RELEASE: A Challenge to Pope Francis

BRITISH MORMON PROPHET 

CHALLENGES POPE FRANCIS

TO RELEASE HIDDEN GOSPEL RECORDS

Says Vatican Must Reveal the Truth About Early Christian Writings

Thursday, 27 March, 2013
Contact: Elder Phil Gill 01283 585972 (UK); 1-44-1283-585972(from US) 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ASHBOURNE, DERBYSHIRE, UNITED KINGDOM – The Prophet of a British Mormon sect is challenging Pope Francis to come clean about possible “secret Gospels” hidden in the Vatican’s vaults and release them to the world. 

Matthew P. Gill, the Prophet, Seer and Revelator of the Latter Day Church of Jesus Christ, says the new pope should be honest with the world about the Vatican’s contents. 

“The new pope has made statements to the effect that he wants to govern a more open church,” he said. “I applaud that effort, but I challenge him to fully live up to his word, and release a list of all materials lying in the dark recesses of the Vatican about early Gospels of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 

There were many books not included in the New Testament Christian scriptures by the Roman Catholic Church, and many were unknown until the 20th Century. In 1945, a large cache of Gnostic Gospels were found in Egypt, and last year, a scrap of papyrus was acquired and translated by a Harvard Divinity School professor showing evidence that Jesus was married. Gill says the world should be told about all such writings. 

“There are likely to be many such unknown fragments that could shed light on the earliest years of the Christian Church, and we all deserve to know about them,” he said. 

Gill’s church, which is not affiliated with the Utah-based Latter-Day Saints, traces its origin to the revelations Joseph Smith, Jr. in 1830 and Gill's revelation of the Book of Jeraneck in 2006. Latter Day Mormons believe in ongoing revelation by Gill, the Living Prophet, but do not believe in polygamy, and reject the authority of all Latter-Day Saint prophets after the death of Joseph Smith, Jr. in 1844. They are online at www.latterdaychurch.co.uk. 

The full statement is below: 

In his first weeks in office, Pope Francis has made statements to the effect that he wants to govern a more open church. I applaud that effort, but I challenge him to fully live up to his word, and release a list of all materials lying in the dark recesses of the Vatican about early Gospels of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Gospel fragments have surfaced throughout the last century that have given us new insights into the Lord’s message and teachings. This includes the Gnostic Gospels and the Gospel of Judas, which Catholics have known to have existed since the time of Ireneaus, a Catholic Bishop living around AD 180, but has only been published within the past decade. 

What other Secret Gospels and writings has the Vatican withheld from Catholics and the rest of the world? There are likely to be many such unknown fragments that could shed light on the earliest years of the Christian church, and we all deserve to know about them.

With the greatest of respect, I challenge the pope to immediately release a full list of Gospels and fragments of Gospel writings hidden in the Vatican, whether or not his church will be embarrassed by their contents. Only then will we know Pope Francis is serious about living up to Christ’s words, "The Truth shall set you free."

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SERMON: Blessings of the Restoration

A Sermon by Matthew P Gill

Many of the blessings and the opportunities we enjoy are results of the Restoration. We have more light and knowledge than has ever been on the earth before at one time. The Gospel sun, which had its setting in the day when darkness covered the earth, that same Gospel sun had its rising in the new day of the Restoration.

What great blessings and advantages does the Restoration offer us? We have knowledge of life’s purpose and eternal opportunities that await us. We can share eternal joy with our friends and our families. We can have growth and satisfaction through organised service, and we can gain a profound peace and strength through a spiritual closeness with the Lord. God has restored his Gospel and it is given to us as a way of life, our way of Life, God’s way of life.

So how, as Latter Day Mormons, can we take advantage of the blessings and opportunities of the restored Gospel? We are in a position to claim these blessings when we strive to obey the commandments. One of these blessings is to fulfil the role that the Lord gave to us; this role was divinely appointed to us before we came to earth at this time of the Restoration for a special reason. It is the duty of every Latter Day Mormon to be holy unto God. We must have elevated aims, if we are holy people under God. We shall feel that we are called to perform important duties.

As the ancient Prophet Alma said, “And now my beloved brethren, I have said these things unto you that I might awaken you to a sense of your duty to God, that ye may walk blameless before him, that ye may walk after the holy order of God, after which ye have been received.” (Alma Chapter 5; 7:22/Utah)

No one is who is a Latter Day Mormon is exempt from doing their duty. There is no person so isolated, and their sphere so narrow that they can not do a great deal towards establishing the kingdom of God upon the earth. Let us look at the Holy Bible in Isaiah chapter 29: “Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid.”

In the Book of Jeraneck, that prophet recorded that all his people were called by God to, “Be righteous and obedient and clean, Be holy and sanctified.” (BOJ, Religious Teachings 1:63)

What we have to remember today is that many good people of the world will be drawn to the church in ever increasing numbers. This will happen to the degree that the members of the church reflect righteousness and articulateness in their lives and to the degree that the members of the church are seen as distinct and different in happy ways from the people of the world.

There are among the people of the world heroes and heroines who will come to the church who are concerned with being righteous than with being selfish. These real heroes and heroines have true humility, which places a higher value on integrity than on visibility, Great men and women are always more anxious to serve than have dominion.

So Latter Day Mormons, as members, are the ultimate examples of the church and it is we who will be a significant force in both the numerical and spiritual growth of the church in these the last days. The blessings of the Restoration are ours when we keep the commandments and fulfil our roles as members of the church.

Let us be guided by Heavenly Father to be true to His Word.

Reading: "And we talk of Christ..." (2 Nephi 11/1830)

"And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins."
- 2 Nephi Chapter 11/1830 version (25:26/Utah)

Reading: 2 Nephi 13 "...after that ye have got into this straight and narrow path..."

“And now, my beloved brethren, after that ye have got into this straight and narrow path, I would ask, If all is done? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; for ye have not come thus far, save it were by the word of Christ, with unshaken faith in him, relying wholly upon the merits of Him who is mighty to save; Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life.” 

- 2 Nephi Chapter 13 (31:19-20/Utah)

SERMON: Stand In Holy Places

A sermon by Matthew P. Gill

“Behold it is my will, that all they who call on my name, and worship me according to mine everlasting gospel, should gather together and stand in holy places.”

(D&C 97:5 - 101:22/Utah)

The Lord has said that his house is to be one of prayer, fasting, faith, learning, and glory. But our homes, whether they consist of a husband and wife, mother and child, or single sister, can also be a house of the Lord, and as Latter Day Mormons, we can strive for our homes to be holy places. The Kingdom of God is anchored firmly in the divinely ordained family unit, tightly bound with  the principles of righteousness, purity, and centred around our love and understanding of God, which we know through the Gospel.

Latter Day Mormon homes can and should be safe places of righteousness and spirituality where individuals are influenced by the living gospel principles. In such a home is made the strong place which children can come to the safe harbour they need in such a time of trouble and strife and temptation. The Latter Day home should be a place where children and young adults feel the love and nurture of Christ and where they may be at peace from the world.

Latter Day Mormon homes can and should be places to raise families of righteous sons and daughters where they can feel safe and loved and feel of the overwhelming love and nature of the presence of their heavenly father. If our homes are holy places, our children will work toward becoming strong and faithful members of the kingdom and work toward eternal salvation and eventually work towards that goal with their wives and their own children.

As Latter Day Mormons, it is important for us to remember that our homes should be homes of prayer, church attendance, and church service, all these things invite the Lords spirit in to our homes and in to our families. However some times some family members may be reluctant to attend church and take part in church activities, and so it is up to us to bring the church to them to make church not just a building, a place for them to attend but a living breathing entity that lives with them all the day long.  We need to make them feel at church while they are at home; to bring some of the things of heaven in to the home is to insure that family members will move closer to church participation.

As we strive in our homes to make them holy temples of God, places where we can stand in his name we can experience all that the Lord has promised us. The Holy Spirit will be present to comfort, to inspire, and to bless us and our families. Let homes with gloomy foreboding and heavenly clouds of despair have their burdens lightened and their faith in God increased so they may feel the love of the Lord in their families, for themselves and their children.

SERMON: On Virtue

Les Miserables, Victor Hugo’s great tale of spiritual rebirth, begins with a powerful contrast. We first meet Monseigneur Bienvenu  a pure and charitable man whose life is “full to the brim with good thoughts, good works and good actions” Then we meet an unfortunate convict, Jean Valjean, who lives “constantly in the darkness, groping blindly as in a dream” Released from prison nineteen years after stealing a loaf of bread to feed his starving family, Jean Valjean seeks a nights refuge with the bishop.

That night the convict awakes and, possessed by the thoughts of the bishops silver plates, cannot sleep. Stealing into the bishops unlocked room, Valjean pauses at the good mans bedside. “At the moment when Jean Valjean paused before the bed the cloud broke as if purposely, and a ray of moonlight crossing the high window, suddenly lighted up the bishops pale face. He slept tranquilly….Over the side of the bed hung his hand, …which had done so many good deeds, so many pure acts. His entire countenance was lit up with a vague expression of content, hope, and happiness. It was more than a smile and almost a radiance. On his forehead rested the indescribable reflection of an unseen light. The souls of the upright in sleep have a vision of mysterious heaven.

“A reflection from this heaven shone upon the bishop. But is was also a luminous transparency, fro this heaven was within him; this heaven was his conscience. At the instant when the moonbeam overlay, so to speak, this inward radiance, the sleeping bishop appeared as if in a halo. But it was mild, and veiled in an ineffable twilight. The moon in the sky…added something strangely solemn and unutterable to the venerable repose of this man, and enveloped his white locks and his closed eyes with a serine and majestic glory, this face where all was hope and confidence, this old man’s head and infants slumber”

What was Bienvenu's secret? What was the radiant hope and confidence? Latter day revelation suggests a possible source to these secrets.

“Let thy bowels also be full of charity  towards all men,…and let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly, then shall thy confidence was strong in the presence of God…The Holy Ghost shall be thy constant companion, and thy sceptre an unchanging sceptre of righteousness and truth” (D&C 121:45-46)

As Latter Day Mormons we should always be aware of the fact that virtue is a quality of soul that brings with it peace and power to those who possess it. The Latin word "virtus" means "strength." We often think of virtue as chastity, and indeed, moral purity is one important aspect of virtue that requires strength and yields confidence. It frees us from the tensions and guilt associated with wrongdoing; it brings blessings of health and a strong character. However it is important for us especially as Latter Day Mormons to remember that virtue is more that just chastity. In fact, the virtue that brings the confidence and serenity personified by the bishop in Les Miserable and promised by the Lord in scripture is really a composite of good qualities.

The teachings of Christ expanded mankind’s concept of virtue, and defined it in terms of moral, not just political, goodness. So the early Christians added to the four cardinal virtues three others, which they called theological virtues. These three are faith, hope and charity. Surely as Latter Day Mormons our own daily experiences confirm to use that all these virtues must be balanced. Without wisdom, the most loving parents may be too indulgent with their children. And we all sometimes face difficult situations where we need faith to guide us beyond the limits of our own wisdom. Virtue is more like well-rounded goodness, a wholeness of soul.

So as Latter Day Mormons, what is the process of becoming virtuous people in Christ? Perhaps it is not so much a frantic striving to master a long list of separate virtues. With our focus on Christ, and with a desire to follow him, our daily task becomes much simpler to follow his commandments and our own inner sense of right. Christian philosopher C.S Lewis put it this way “Every time you make a choice you are turning the central part of you, the part of you that chooses, into something a little different from what it was before. And taking your life as a whole, with all your innumerable choices, all your life long you are slowly turning this central thing either into a heavenly creature or into a hellish creature”

So in conclusion, as we follow principles of truth, acting on our impulses to do good and heeding the promptings of the Spirit, we will slowly become Latter Day people of virtue. We will gain the power to choose the wise thing, the compassionate thing, the temperate thing, the just thing in more and more situations that we find ourselves in. And as we do, we will gain the wholeness and confidence that are among the greatest blessings that followers of Christ we can have.

READING: "It is from these people that we have learned the value of motherhood" Jeraneck 9:5

"Now the children of the People of Ridnon and Limndon were taught by their mothers and they were taught that they were to be prayerful and to be contrite and be examples to the people around them, and it is from these people that we have learned the value of motherhood, for before we joined ourselves with the People of Ridnon and Limndon we held motherhood in no great esteem."

- Book of Jaraneck 9:5

READING: "I give unto you a commandment" D&C 12:9/1835 ed.

"And again I say unto you,  I give unto you a commandment, that every man, both elder, priest, teacher, and also member, go to with his might, with the labor of his hands, to prepare and accomplish the things which I have commanded.

And let your  preaching be the warning voice, every man to  his neighbor, in mildness and in meekness.  And go ye out from among the wicked. Save  yourselves. Be ye clean that bear the vessels of the Lord: even so: Amen."

- D&C 12:9 (38:40-42/Utah)

Sermon: Our decision to follow Jesus Christ

Our decision to follow Jesus Christ is based upon faith. Faith is a keystone of our religion. Faith is required of us when we make the decision to join The Latter Day Church of Jesus Christ. We must possess faith in order to be healed of our infirmities. Faith is what guides us and should motivate us. Faith is what brings us to believe the things which we hold and cherish as Latter Day Mormons. Where is our faith? How do we believe? What makes us unique? Do we know? Can we answer these questions?

Each member of this work, each member of this Church, no matter what calling we may hold no matter the depth of responsibility is no different. We each must possess faith—faith by which we can conquer and overcome. In the Scriptures, we are called upon to be “overcomers” so that we can stand as pillars in the “temple of God” (Rev. 3:11-12 KJV). We are not just mere members of any ordinary church—but, rather, we are members of a very unique Church—one by which holds the keys, the offices, the rights, and the authority bestowed upon us by Jesus Christ to be representatives of Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ, when he visited the Americas, told us that “Behold I am the light; I have set an example for you.” (3 Nephi VII.) Yes, Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the world has set for us an example—an example by which we are to go forth and proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ, but more so, we are to follow the example of Jesus Christ—we are to have faith. Jesus Christ himself had faith—for even Jesus Christ had to overcome like we have to.

Yes, Jesus Christ had to have faith—faith to overcome the devil. Remember that three times he was tempted by Satan. For we are told that “For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.” (Hebrews 2:18.) Yes, Jesus Christ had to suffer temptations, he had to experience all that we ourselves experience—thus, making him the perfect sacrifice for our sins.

We need to remember that while he suffered all these things, he also had faith—faith to accomplish all that was laid before him. For Jesus Christ had to continually yield to the Father’s will. He had to continually seek to be obedient to the Father. “I have set the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.” Ps. 16:8.) For Jesus had lived by every word that came from the Father’s mouth. He put his faith in every word expecting the word to accomplish all that he said. According to his faith, it was then possible for him to accomplish what his mission was for him.

We are told that Jesus had faith so that he could overcome the world (1 John 5:4) and he knew that he needed the faith because he was sent to be the Messenger—the Word of God—and thus, he had to live by example since he was sent to be the Messenger (the Word) (John 1:1).

So how are we living? Are we living how we believe? Through our faith, we must live and be obedient to every word of God just as Jesus was faithful. For we must live with Christ being in us—letting his light shine forth through us. For we are told that “I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20.)

Our faith must be a living faith—having the example of Jesus Christ living in us, bringing us to do good, and bringing us to do that which Jesus taught us to do. For through our faith, we will become overcomers, being able to “…hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown (salvation). Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out; and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, this is New Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God; and I will write upon him my new name. (Rev. 3:11-12.)

How many therefore, would want to be overcomers, keeping fast that which we have received—that which we have learned and been given because of the knowledge which we have in this Church? I would highly ask each of us, over this remaining year and in to the new one that is soon to come upon us, to examine ourselves. Examine ourselves and see were our faith is at.

Over the months and years just ahead, we are going to need to rely more heavily upon our faith. We are going to have to make sure that our faith is greater than we thought because there are things which are coming that will greatly try our faith. We need to keep in mind what Jesus warned us of in Matthew 24 and Luke 21. We need to remember that trials are coming fast upon us and we have to begin doing our missionary work greatly because the Lord has many that will come to the Church—but only through our service and faith will we be able to reach them that are ready to come forth. We need to do this because time is very short.

Remember that Jesus told us that “But he that remaineth steadfast (faithful), and is not overcome, the same shall be saved.” (Matt. 24:11.) Yes, we need to remain faithful to Jesus Christ, being not taken in by the world and by falsehoods. We need to keep in mind that we are to be Latter Day Mormons—forever being lights to the world.

Brothers and sisters, let us examine our faith – being sure of what we believe. Making sure that we counsel with the Prophet and listen to the warnings as the Lord gives them to him because we are in a short time period in the coming years – therefore, let us keep faithful and remain true to the promises that we made at baptism to ourselves and to the Lord.

Reading: "Let every man learn his duty, and to act in the office in which he is appointed" D&C 3:44 (107:99/Utah)

“Wherefore, now let every man learn his duty, and to act in the office in which he is appointed, in all diligence.” D&C 3:44 (107:99 Utah)

Reading: "they shall write the words which I speak unto them" 2 Nephi 29:11

"For I command all men, both in the east and in the west, and in the north, and in the south, and in the islands of the sea, that they shall write the words which I speak unto them; for out of the books which shall be written I will judge the world, every man according to their works, according to that which is written." - 2 Nephi 29:11 (2 Nephi Chapter 12, 1830 edition)

The Prophet Matthew Gill Speaks about the 12/21 Mayan Calendar Hysteria

"With all of the fuss, misunderstanding and hype surrounded by today's date, I was called to reflect on what the Lord had to say about it all. Well, in the Bible the Lord says, 'But of that day and hour no one knoweth; no, not the angels of God in heaven, but my Father only' (Matthew 24:43 IVB) 

And again, the Lord speaks to the Prophet Joseph Smith in the D&C, where he says, 'I, the Lord God, have spoken it; but the hour and the day no man knoweth, neither the angels in heaven, nor shall they know until he comes' (D&C 49:7). 

Only the Lord knows when he will come and this world as we know it ends."

- Matthew P. Gill, LDCJC

Christ is the True Gift of Christmas

A Sermon by Matthew P. Gill

17 December, 2012

A special, virtually tangible spirit envelops the Christian world at Christmas with intensity unknown the rest of the year.

To Latter Day Mormons, the Christmas story, from Bethlehem to Calvary, takes precedence over the tinsel and the toys, for the Saviour is the centre of Christmas not just a Latter Day Christmas but the centre of all Christmases.

With this in mind Christmas should liberate us from prejudice, peevishness, and pressures. It puts us back into perspective with our religious beliefs, our family relationships, our cultural heritage, and our precious past. A simple trinket becomes priceless after repeated appearances on a Christmas mantle. Even a broken bauble cannot be left off the tree if it’s always been there, it goes up again! Such treasures are symbols of shared times in an aura of a magic and hallowed season. Christmas is for everyone, the child, the childlike, and the mature.

Whether you are giving the gifts or getting them, planning a surprise or delighting in one, Christmas opens the door to deep joy. Latter Day Mormons, like everyone else, enjoy giving and receiving presents at Christmas, but there is a difference between presents and gifts.

The true gifts may be part of us, giving of the riches of the heart and mind and therefore more enduring and of far greater worth than presents bought at the store. Part of the purpose for telling the story of Christmas is to remind us that Christmas doesn't come from a store. We must remember the very plain scene, even the poverty, of a night devoid of tinsel or wrapping or goods of this world.

As the scripture records: “And I beheld the city of Nazareth; and in the city of Nazareth I beheld a virgin, and she was exceedingly fair and white. And it came to pass that I saw the heavens open; and an angel came down and stood before me; and he said unto me: Nephi, what beholdest thou? And I said unto him: A virgin, most beautiful and fair above all other virgins.” (1 Nephi Chapter 3/11:13-15)

Only when we see that sacred, unadorned child of our devotion the Babe of Bethlehem will we know why the giving of gifts is so appropriate. And no matter how many times we read the biblical account of that evening in Bethlehem, we always come away with a thought or two we haven’t had before, of course, among the greatest of gifts is the gift of love.

Some, illustrated by the character Ebenezer Scrooge in Dickens's A Christmas Carol, have a hard time loving anyone, even themselves, because of their selfishness. Love seeks to give rather than to get. Charity towards and compassion for others is a way to overcome too much self-love and at this season of giving we Latter Day Mormons feel that more than many.

However, after all this, the most important thing to us as Latter Day Mormons is the real meaning of Christmas. The real meaning of Christmas comes to those who have taken Christ into their life as a moving, dynamic, vitalizing force. The real spirit of Christmas lies in the life and mission of the Master.

The birth of Jesus Christ was extraordinary in that it involved the condescension of both the Father and the Son, two eternal beings. The Father condescended in sending His Son; the Savior condescended in taking upon Himself a mortal body and offering Himself as a sacrifice for sin. Is it any wonder that angels were assigned to declare the Savior's birth on that holy day?

As the scripture records the angel of the Lord, saying:  “Lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” (Luke 2:9-14)

And we learn from Latter Day scripture that the arrival of the Saviour was also announced to the ancient People of Light, as the Prophet Jeraneck records, “Now the Lord took me to a place that I had never seen before, and I saw a Virgin, and she was pure and unspotted and she was moved upon by the Holy Spirit and she gave birth to a baby boy. And this baby was the Lord of Heaven. And she gave birth to him in a stable built into the rocks, and she named him Jesus. And many people came unto his bedside and they laid gifts at his feet. I saw Sharaneck, that he laid Gold at his feet, and many people came unto him and worshipped him, for it was this Jesus that is the very Almighty that speaks to us, and the very same Lord that we worship.”

Knowing the importance of our Lord’s birth, there is a beauty at Christmastime that comes upon us in a very special way, and our Hearts are opened to a new measure of kindness. Love speaks with increased power. Tensions are eased, love abounds and a great spiritual feeling overcomes us. Of all things which we bear testimony, none is as important as our witness that Jesus, the Christmas child, came to earth from the realms of His Eternal Father, here to work among men as healer and teacher, our Great Exemplar. Most important, He suffered on Calvary's cross as an atoning sacrifice for all mankind.

Who needs Christmas? We all do! Every one of us! Because Christmas can bring us closer to the Saviour, the only source of lasting joy. We need Christmas because it helps us to be better people, not only in December but in January, June, and November. Because we need Christmas, we had better understand what it is and what it isn't. Gifts, holly, mistletoe, and red-nosed reindeer are fun as traditions, but they are not what Christmas is really about. Christmas is that glorious moment when the Son of our Father joined his divinity to our imperfect humanity.

And so, let us not forget with our family that at this time of Christmas, this season when gifts are given, let us not forget that God gave His Son, and His Son gave His life, that each of us might have the gift of eternal life.

Christ is born! Let all Creation rejoice in it!