The Law of Witnesses

Our dear living prophet in our world today is Matthew Gill.  He is a living witness to the fact that our Father in heaven and his Son Jesus Christ are real and living personages. At all times when the Lord has organised his kingdom on the earth in various parts of the earth there are, and always have been living witnesses called prophets. Nothing has changed in this respect. Words are a very important powerful tool, an instrument the Lord can use as words do not just affect our bodies, and emotions, but can penetrate our minds, and our spirits. Sometime they are never forgotten. Although our thoughts are our own, our words are never our own once they have been said.

Word Origin and History for witness. Old English witness "attestation of fact, event, etc., from personal knowledge;" also "one who so testifies;" originally "knowledge, wit," formed from wit (n.) + -ness. Christian use (late 14c.) is as a literal translation of Greek martyrs (see martyr). Witness stand is recorded from 1853.

c.1300, from witness (n.). Related: Witnessed; witnessing.

What does the Bible tell us about witnesses, let us see. The Bible tells us that:-

More than one witness is required in criminal cases (Deut. 17:6; 19:15). They were the first to execute the sentence on the condemned (Deut. 13:9; 17:7; 1 Kings 21:13; Matt. 27:1; Acts 7:57, 58). False witnesses were liable to punishment (Deut. 19:16-21). It was also an offence to refuse to bear witness (Lev. 5:1).

We learn from the Bible and the scriptures that our Lord Jesus Christ Himself was a living witness to the existence of our Father in Heaven. We believe in Almighty God (Heavenly Father) and in his only begotten Son, Jesus Christ and in the Holy Spirit. We, the Latter Day Church of Jesus Christ are the Latter Day continuation of the original Church of Jesus Christ established on earth by Jesus Christ and his Apostles, and restored by Joseph Smith, Jr in 1830. We know as Latter Day Mormon that in past ages, God began to speak to us through the Scriptures, the Old and New Testaments of the Bible. Today as in old God continues to speak to us through the Scriptures of the Book of Mormon, Doctrine & Covenants, the Book of Jeraneck, and continuing revelation through his living Prophet that has been placed on the earth today.

I have personally been in numerous lessons, discussions, and meetings with our living prophet. I have witnessed the fire, the irresistible motive for a belief or action that can give us all a profound desire to live the Lords gospel. To search, read, pray, and have an un-quenching desire to gain an unassailable knowledge.

In the book of John we read:-

 1 In the beginning was the gospel preached through the Son. And the gospel was the word, and the word was with the Son, and the Son was with God, and the Son was of God.

2 The same was in the beginning with God.

3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

4 In him was the gospel, and the gospel was the life, and the life was the light of men.

5 And the light shineth in the world; and the world preceiveth it not.

6 Then was a man sent from God, whose name was John.

7 The same came in to the world for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, to bear record of the gospel through the Son, unto all, that through him men might believe.

8 He was not that Light, but came to bear witness of that Light.

9 Which was the true Light, which lighteth every man who cometh into the world.

10 Even the Son of God. He who was in the world and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.

11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, only to them who believe on his name:

13 He was born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

14 And the same word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

15 John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, this was he of whom I spake, He who cometh after me is preferred before me; for he was before me.

16 For in the beginning was the Word, even the Son, who is made flesh, and sent unto us by the will of the Father. And as many as believe on his name shall receive of his fullness. And of his fullness have all we received, even immortality and eternal life, through his grace.

17 For the law was given through Moses, but life and truth came through Jesus Christ.

(IVB New Testament John 1:1 - 17)

The Latter Day Church of Jesus Christ stands as the only true church of Christ upon the face of the earth and it is through the Lords anointed Prophet Matthew Gill that he has given us direction and has set right what was once torn down and has made what was hidden once again to stand in the light of truth. So with this the Latter Day Church of Jesus Christ is established and has brought forth new scripture called the Book of Jeraneck which stands as a witness to Christ along with the Bible and the Book of Mormon and we are ready to serve the Lord Jesus Christ and the Father of us all even God and to bring the world his truth and light again the path of mankind even unto salvation.

It is my prayer that we can with an open mind, and heart, search, pray, and read the Lord has decided to reaffirm his will, and give us all again an opportunity to comprehend, and live his revealed gospel through our living prophet.

I pray for these things. Amen

Elder Peter Barber

Sermon: Mormonism & Christianity

Mormonism to mainstream Christians is and always has been a point of ridicule. Followers of Mainstream Christianity see Mormonism as a distortion of all they believe and hold holy. The distortion of Mormonism is not the preserve of Christians solely non believing secularists also come into the affray seeing followers of Mormonism as strange and dangerous due to our belief in the supernatural as they see it.

The views of these Christian and secularists are commonly based on the LDS (Utah) view of our belief system. The facts are that Utah Mormons only send out an obscure view of Mormonism these teachings are at odds with our founder Joseph Smith. True Mormonism is Christ centred and fits perfectly with the practices of Christianity as laid down by our Saviour. True Mormonism not Utah Mormonism is Christ centred, indeed we could be accused of being obsessed with being Christian.

People criticise us for having modern day revelation and other witnesses of mans interaction with Deity for example The Book of Mormon and the Doctrine and Covenants. However these Books just reaffirm our faith, love, and commitment to Gods teachings as outlined in the Bible. When we preach the gospel we rejoice in Christ, prophecy of him and write of him as the Gatekeeper to our eventual journey into the Eternities. The fact that we have stripped away lots of man inspired practices in a lot of Mainstream Christianity is something that we are very proud of.

Regarding The Book of Mormon mainstream Christians would tell you that the book is a fairy tale. The facts however, are that the Book is supported by Archaeological evidence found in the Eastern states of the United States of America where the Book of Mormon is set. The real point however is this, a book dealing with the history of people relating to their God and how through the Holy Ghost he guides the righteous. Some writers on Mormonism would have you believe that the Mormon view of Christ is at odds with the Christ of Christianity, this is nonsense. The fact is there is no one mainstream Christian view of the Saviour, indeed there are many denominations just like there is more than one view of Mormonism, not every Mormon is LDS (UTAH).

As a Latter Day Mormon (NOT LDS) we believe in a literal Saviour who has a body who was born of a virgin and who took upon himself our sins and died for us. We believe in a Father in heaven who does not have a physical body but is of spirit. Contrary to what most people believe Joseph Smith taught this all his life. Some commentators would have you believe Mormons put the cross secondary to Gethsemane this is simplification gone mad. In fact we hold them both as important. The fact is in Gethsemane the Saviour took up the bitter cup and devoured for our sake all sin, equally on the cross he showed us that as a God he was prepared to lay down his life, this was necessary for the biggest prize we could be given power over death in his resurrection.

In conclusion let us be one in praise of  the Saviour and hope that we can unify all those who praise God under the banner of what we have in common, not what we have dividing us.

 

In the name of Jesus Christ Amen

Elder Philip A. Gill

Official Church Statement: Jesus & Joseph What We Believe

With so much happening in the news this week concerning Jesus possible marriage and Fatherhood and the LDS church coming out officiously and saying that Joseph Smith was polygamist we the leadership of the Latter Day Church of Jesus Christ thought it was important that we clarify a few things concerning our stance on these issues.


Firstly The Latter Day Church of Jesus Christ has always maintained that Jesus was married and was married to Mary Magdalene, this is a basic principle of the church and will remain so. The recent news concerning this issue which was published in the Sunday Times is made even more sensational with the claim that the new lost gospel says that Jesus also had children. The Lost Gospel, which has been translated from Aramaic by Professor of Religious Studies Barrie Wilson and historical writer Simcha Jacobovici, reveals the fact that Christ was married with children. Professor Wilson said on his website that he found the "ancient Syriac manuscript lurking in the British Museum, dating from the 6th century but translated from much earlier Greek writing.” He added that “scholars have known about it for almost 200 years, but have not known what to make of it.”  For us in the Latter Day Church this is not new news at all but rather a confirmation that the truths that we had proclaimed to the world are true and that the world has caught up with the truth. Much like the issue which we discuss below many in the Christian world has denied this new claim because it destroys their view and history of Christianity. Some might also think that the reason this has been kept silent for over 200 years is because of vested interests in the world of Christianity. The world can offer nothing new that the Lord has not already proclaimed. As the Lords servants on the earth today we proclaim again to the world that we stand by the teachings that Christ was married. We say we are not ashamed of this fact and we embrace it and see that Jesus fulfilled the laws that we have to live under and as he came to be an example why would he not be married and have a family, we see no reason why not and with the beauty of modern day revelation we can say with a certainty that this is not just a cutting edge new story but fact.


Regarding Joseph Smith and his so called practice of polygamy and the news of this that has come to the forefront of the media in the last couple of weeks. The Latter Day Church of Jesus Christ once again make it publicly known that with modern day revelation we know that Joseph Smith did not practice polygamy. The LDS (Utah) church continues to feel the need to proclaim to the world that Joseph Smith was a polygamist and that the early church under his leadership practised it. The LDS (Utah) church has done this by issuing an essay on Plural Marriage in Kirtland and Nauvoo. This essay was added to the topical guide of the LDS.org website on 22/10/14.  This essay has been picked up by the NY Times and was run as a story on the 10/11/2014 with the running title “It’s Official: Mormon Founder Had Up to 40 Wives”. Firstly this is not official! The LDS church does NOT speak for all Mormons it only speaks for those that are members of their church, they DO NOT speak for us and they DO NOT speak for many other Mormons. Unfortunately this myth that the LDS church is the only authority of Mormonism on the planet has given rise to many falsehoods and misconceptions about the early church and Joseph Smith himself. The LDS essay focuses on the so called polygamous marriages of Joseph Smith. The essay addresses some of the shortfalls from their first essay on polygamy which completely omitted Joseph Smith which is interesting in itself. The LDS (Utah) church continually feels the need to explain away polygamy because of the massive holes in their own history and the need to find a link between the Mormonism of Brigham Young and the Mormonism of Joseph Smith, because if any one knows anything about Mormon history the two are incompatible, they are like chalk and cheese, so making a link between the two has always been important to them because their church history and their version of events are so messed up they don’t think twice about destroying the reputation of the founder of their faith just to save face, indeed to save their own perverted version of Mormonism.


The Latter Day Church of Jesus Christ would like to point out that all of the officially published material in the lifetime of the Prophet condemned the practise of polygamy. The Book of Mormon condemned it, the Doctrine and Covenants condemned it, the church periodical the Times and Seasons condemned it. We know for certain that the Prophet Joseph Smith never practised polygamy and that there is wonderful research done by lots of people to prove this fact. We would encourage people to read the research done by Pamela and Richard Rice in Joseph Smith fought Polygamy. Both volumes one and two are a wonderful research tool and make use of some great historical fact. The Latter Day Church of Jesus Christ cherishes the work done by Pamela and Richard Rice, unfortunately too many people would rather believe in half truths and out and out lies to enrich their own perverted view of Mormonism. It also suits many Christians to believe this false history because they then have another reason to attack the work done by Joseph Smith and Mormonism; it falls nicely in to their lap and allows them to indulge in their own perverted religious world. Too many Christians will never look at the opposite research done such as the Rice's research in favour of highly dubious research. We find it fascinating that they will believe it when a Mormon proclaims that Joseph was a polygamist and they believe his words that Joseph was a man of questionable moral values, but when a Mormon proclaims anything opposite to this they are shouted down. So a Mormon is only right when it fits in to the perverted world view of Christianity. We also find it interesting that still too many LDS (Utah) members this should not rock their belief and faith in their leaders, once again they have yet another unravelling of their own church history, and they have yet another omission of so called historical fact. What amazes this church is that so many LDS members still ignore this warped history and write it of in the hope that “All is well in Zion”.


We make an appeal again to all those that are reading this to finally wake up to the fact that many of you have been lied to and led astray from the truth for many years. Some of you may feel hurt by this and some of you may feel that you do not know the Mormonism that they are now trying to portray to you. I would urge you not to throw away the foundation of truth that has been laid but rather seek to rebuild upon that foundation with truth, we have the answers to all your concerns but we once again say as we always do, not to take our word as truth but rather those that were said by the prophet and his family and then relay on the spirit to guide you. So with this in mind we would like to leave you with the words of the Prophet himself “I had not been married scarcely five minutes, and made one proclamation of the Gospel, before it was reported that I had seven wives.... I am innocent of all these charges.... What a thing it is for a man to be accused of committing adultery, and having seven wives, when I can only find one. I am the same man, and as innocent as I was fourteen years ago; and I can prove them all perjurers." and finally the words of the Prophets grandson Israel Smith “Joseph Smith was the greatest victim of fraud and conspiracy of the last 500 years. Nothing like it in recorded history. He was simply lied about when something had to be done to justify ... Utah Mormon polygamy."

Official Statement of The Office of Prophet of The Latter Day Church of Jesus Christ

Remembrance Day Sermon

Remembrance Sunday

(Ps46:1-11)

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble”

(Ps 46:1)

It is horrible that today, sadly we take the sacrifice of the many men and women who served in the Forces during the War for granted. We too easily forget the price of the peace we enjoy at home today. I think Remembrance Sunday is one of the most important services in the Christian year, a time when we stop to “remember them”, those who gave so much that we might live and worship in peace and freedom General Sherman, the American Civil War General once said: “War is hell”. How true it is. For whenever we encounter war in our lives we see that it serves only the purpose of sending souls unto God. Since the second world war we need to remember that there have been other conflicts since such as the Korean War, the Falkland War the two gulf Wars in which our brave troops have fought and today although war may not be at or door conflict is still ragging in many countries around the world most notably in the Ukraine and in the Middle East and it is in these times of trouble and strife around the world that we stand and recall the millions of servicemen who gave their lives in both World Wars and the other conflicts so that we might enjoy peace today.

The ability to remember is a wonderful gift that God has given to mankind. Some of our memories are happy and we can recall wonderful experiences but some of our memories are sad and we may weep as we remember those that have served, some of them in our own families. We must also remember that even though the Second World War ended over 70 years ago and the First World War 100 years ago it is important that we remember that many still bear the scars of war today, and it is good for us to remember those who have fought for their country, to support them and to pray for them. Today is a day we stand united as a people and we say “Thank you” to all those who made the sacrifice so that we can stand here today in peace and freedom and for the privilege it has given us to worship, to play and to live in peace and the in the knowledge that those brave men and women died for us, for the lives that we live today. We must never forget those who are still suffering as a result of these wars, the work of the British Legion, who work to alleviate suffering among ex servicemen is indeed a work that we must continue to support and to give generously to, for without our help the great work that they do would not be possible. As we sit here today as the church united these thoughts of sacrifice should bring us back to the ultimate sacrifice that Jesus made for us all on the battlefield of Gethsemane and ultimately on Calvary. John the Apostle put it well when he said “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13)

Our Saviour Jesus Christ gave his life not only for his friends but also for his enemies. As a God Jesus had no need to experience human suffering or failings but he did for all our sakes and we must at this time today remember this sacrifice as well. For us this day, Remembrance Day is of course the time set aside nationally to reflect, it is a time to remember, a time to mourn those who gave their lives in the First and Second World wars and the all of the conflicts since. For some people it may seem like yesterday and it is to them that we pay deep respect and we moan with them on this day of Remembrance.
I always find Remembrance Day and the services that follow bring a lump to your throat and then the Remembrance Day poem which always moves me:-

"They shall not grow old
as we that are left grow old.
Age shall not weary them
nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

And then the closing words which haunt me always and stay with me always:-


“When you go home tell them of us and say for your tomorrow, we gave our today”.


With a final trumpeting of “Reveille” my mind is turned to the heroes of our past, the great men on both sides who fought for a cause that they believe to be just and true and all the heroes of scripture that did the same that gave their lives in the cause of truth and freedom. Then I think of my Lord, my Saviour Jesus and my Father in heaven for he loved us so much that he sent His dearly loved and most precious Son to die for us in what has become the ultimate sacrifice. So for us Latter Day Mormons let us join with the country and will every man in remembering today those that have sacrificed for us to site here today.

Prophet Matthew Gill

Gods Quality Control

Many years ago I worked in the Auto Industry as a quality technician. I was responsible in all areas of the production of engine valves for the major vehicle manufacturing companies. From the time that metals would arrive at the goods inward holding areas, through various processes of friction welding; hardening and tempering; centre less grinding; and induction hardening, and ultra violet crack detection, only to name a few. The items were inspected, and tested; the policy was to get it right first time as repeated flaws can be very costly the more processes the items go through the less are scrapped. So continued tests were carried out at all stages of the production. The testing was divided into two major sections. Destructive, and non destructive testing. Without going into too much detail, destructive testing destroyed the product. While dimensional checks, micro finishes, and hardness checks did not destroy the product. Periodically inspectors from these various companies would visit, and perform their own independent tests on the products (Known as Standard Quality Assurance).

This life on earth is a wonderful opportunity for us to become more like our Father in heaven, perfected, and glorified. This earth life is a severe non destructive test. Jesus Christ the Son of God was tested in the same way that we are now. At the end of our earth life we will have a review. We will see what we have become. (What I will be tomorrow I am now becoming) If we were able to prove ourselves. Our spec of what we should be will be measured from the scriptures.

Although the Saviour is not with is now in person we have a living prophet on the earth, Matthew Gill. He is a great aid sent by the Lord to assist us in our efforts in our work towards salvation. Paul in the New Testament had no easy life, and is yet another great example to us all.

The life and work of the great apostle Paul is recorded at considerable length in the Acts and the epistles. It is only possible to indicate here a few of the chief facts. Paul was known in early life as Saul; his Latin name Paul is first mentioned at the beginning of his gentile ministry in (Acts 13:9). He belonged to Tarsus, in Cilicia (Acts 9:11); was a Pharisee and a pupil of Gamaliel (Acts 22:3); was active in the persecution of Christians (Acts 8:3; 26:10; Gal. 1:13; Philip. 3:6); and took part in the martyrdom of Stephen. (Acts 7:58; 8:1). He started for Damascus for the purpose of further persecution of the Christians (Acts 9:1) and on the road saw a vision of the Lord Jesus, which changed the whole current of his life (Acts 9:4–19; 22:7; 26:14; Gal. 1:15–16). After his baptism by Ananias (Acts 9:18), he retired into Arabia (Gal. 1:17), and then returned to Damascus, where he preached (Acts 9:19–25; 2 Cor. 11:32; Gal. 1:17–18). Being compelled to flee, about three years after his conversion he went to Jerusalem, where he stayed 15 days, Barnabas introducing him to Peter and James (Acts 9:26–30; Gal. 1:18–19). Being in danger, he retired to Tarsus (Acts 9:29–30) and there remained six or seven years, preaching in Syria and Cilicia (Gal. 1:21–24). He was then brought by Barnabas to Antioch (Acts 11:26), and after one year paid a visit to Jerusalem (Acts 11:29–30). After two more years' work in Antioch, he started with Barnabas and Mark on his first missionary journey (Acts 13:1—14:26). Then came another visit to Jerusalem with Barnabas to attend a conference with the other apostles (Acts 15:1–33; Gal. 2:1–10), after which they returned to Antioch (Acts 15:35). He then started on his second missionary journey (Acts 15:36—18:22), which lasted about three years, and ended with a visit to Jerusalem. After a short stay in Antioch, Paul began his third journey, which occupied about 3½ years (Acts 18:23—21:15). On his return to Jerusalem he was arrested and sent to Caesarea (Acts 21:17—23:35), where he remained a prisoner for two years (Acts 24:1—26:32), and was then sent for trial to Rome, suffering shipwreck on the way (Acts 27:1—28:10). He remained in Rome two years (Acts 28:30) and was then released. He then appears to have visited Asia, Macedonia, Crete, and perhaps Spain. At the end of about four years he was again taken a prisoner to Rome, and suffered martyrdom, probably in the spring of A.D. 65.

I hope that we all learn from the lesson of Paul and also from our own lives that we are all being tested in the quality control room of our Father and it is up to us to make sure that we live up to the tests put upon us. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Elder Peter Barber

Sermon: Understanding Christ's Place in Our World

The evidence for the Saviour in our lives can sometimes be difficult for the world to embrace. When we see all the turmoil around the globe people don’t see his love, they just see chaos. As Christ loving, and Christ accepting members of The Latter Day Church of Jesus Christ, we see the world differently. We see hope, Love, charity and benevolence.

All through history we have examples of Christ leading our lives amidst conflict and strife. Terry Lynn Barton was a forest-service worker for the state of Colorado in the United States. In June of 2002, she was arrested for starting the biggest wildfire in Colorado’s history. She was charged with wilfully and maliciously destroying U.S. property and causing personal injury. The fire destroyed 138,000 acres of vegetation southwest of Denver, 133 homes, a commercial building and 466 outbuildings. Prosecutors said it caused nearly 30 million dollars in damages. Barton initially told authorities she had discovered the fire and reported it. She later altered her story, saying she accidentally set it while burning a letter from her estranged husband. The evidence indicated otherwise, and the jury failed to believe her. She was convicted of deliberately setting the fire, and for her crime, was sentenced to 12 years in a state prison. In addition Terry Lynn Barton was ordered to pay millions in restitution. What makes this story so difficult for us to take is that we all know the job of fire fighters is to put out fires, not start them. It makes no sense to us when someone does what is clearly contrary to their calling. Sometimes I think this is why people struggle with Christians as a whole. On occasion, we do things that are counter to what most people expect believers in Christ to do. Take the issue of conflict for example. Rather than be people who put out the fires of conflict, Christians are often the ones that ignite the fires and sit back and watch them rage out of control.

We all have times in our lives when we need to repent, and if we allow the Saviour in we can overcome all obstacles and put our lives back in line with the Lord and his teachings. We may not ever have to overcome what Lynn Barton had too but we all have our demons as Romans 14:12 tells us. We need to peruse a path of reconciliation as we will all be judged see 2Corinthians 5 9-10. Without conflict resolution we achieve nothing the fire rages on. I hope that the entire world can be healed and can be secure in the knowledge that the Lord loves us all.

God does not start conflict but with our willingness to follow his promptings we can all overcome these challenges in our lives. The apostle Paul tells us we need to live in this world as if we are already in eternity read 1 Corinthians 3 :8-10-12.

In conclusion our future is in our hands but without the Lord walking at our side we are lost and all to surly conflict would overwhelm us and we would go the way of the unrighteous destined never to taste of the love of the Saviour again.

In the name of Jesus Christ Amen

Elder Philip A. Gill

Official Church News Release: Zion's Camp Building Fund

As many of you will know we have been trying for sometime to raise funds for the church to start work on Zion's Camp, a self sufficient community based on the principle's of the law of consecration. However it has been difficult for us to do this in the past, but now with the power of multi-media and social networking and the power of the internet we are sure that the time is now right for the church to start a fund raising campaign to help us raise the funds that we need to get off the ground. We have set up a Zion's Camp building fund campaign with indiegogo and we hope that we may meet with success, even if we don't raise all our total goal I hope that whatever we raise we may be able finally start the establishment of Zion's Camp.

To find out more please visit https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/zions-camp-buillding-fund/x/8782381 and donate.

Sermon: Having a Clear Vision

Many times in discussions we hear the words "LOOK AT THE BIG PICTURE ". The implication is that by only looking at a section of a picture you can miss an important aspect by not looking at the whole.


Conversely by looking at the picture as a whole, and not the fine detail in practice will not provide enough information as a working example, years ago when the television was invented by John Logie Baird. He was born 14 August 1888, and died 14 June 1946 was a Scottish engineer, innovator and inventor of the world's first mechanical television; the first publicly demonstrated colour television system; and the first purely electronic colour television picture tube. Baird's early technological successes and his role in the practical introduction of broadcast television for home entertainment have earned him a prominent place in television's history.


In 2002, Baird was ranked number 44 in the BBC's list of the "100 Greatest Britons" following a UK-wide vote. In 2006, Logie Baird was named as one of the 10 greatest Scottish scientists in history, having been listed in the National Library of Scotland's 'Scottish Science Hall of Fame. I can remember pictures being scanned at 420 lines, and then 620. Now we have high resolution mega pixels images where a dot on the screen is 0.29 mm. If we liken the gospel of Jesus Christ to a large picture containing all the detail we need. But only have a small section of the whole. We will never be able to learn, or fully understand the complete gospel or become perfected.


Although all these invention are a great aid to us, we have the greatest blessing by having a living prophet in our midst. Matthew Gill. I have known his father Philip for over 37 years. The book of Jeraneck, which was translated by the Prophet Matthew Gill, is a major part in this overall picture. The canvas or land we are now living on is of special significance. A picture is worth one thousand words. A vision can be worth volumes of books. Now some people might say there is only one picture. But the Lord has albums of books or pictures. As Nephi explains.


And because my words shall hiss forth many of the Gentiles shall say: A Bible! A Bible! We have got a Bible, and there cannot be any more Bible.

4 But thus saith the Lord God: O fools, they shall have a Bible; and it shall proceed forth from the Jews, mine ancient covenant people. And what thank they the Jews for the Bible which they receive from them? Yea, what do the Gentiles mean? Do they remember the travails, and the labours, and the pains of the Jews, and their diligence unto me, in bringing forth salvation unto the Gentiles?

5 O ye Gentiles, have ye remembered the Jews, mine ancient covenant people? Nay; but ye have cursed them, and have hated them, and have not sought to recover them. But behold, I will return all these things upon your own heads; for I the Lord have not forgotten my people.

6 Thou fool, that shall say: A Bible, we have got a Bible, and we need no more Bible. Have ye obtained a Bible save it were by the Jews?

7 Know ye not that there are more nations than one? Know ye not that I, the Lord your God, have created all men, and that I remember those who are upon the isles of the sea; and that I rule in the heavens above and in the earth beneath; and I bring forth my word unto the children of men, yea, even upon all the nations of the earth?

8 Wherefore murmur ye, because that ye shall receive more of my word? Know ye not that the testimony of two nations is a witness unto you that I am God, that I remember one nation like unto another? Wherefore, I speak the same words unto one nation like unto another. And when the two nations shall run together the testimony of the two nations shall run together also.

9 And I do this that I may prove unto many that I am the same yesterday, today, and forever; and that I speak forth my words according to mine own pleasure. And because that I have spoken one word ye need not suppose that I cannot speak another; for my work is not yet finished; neither shall it be until the end of man, neither from that time henceforth and forever.

10 Wherefore, because that ye have a Bible ye need not suppose that it contains all my words; neither need ye suppose that I have not caused more to be written.

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.

12 For behold, I shall speak unto the Jews and they shall write it; and I shall also speak unto the Nephites and they shall write it; and I shall also speak unto the other tribes of the house of Israel, which I have led away, and they shall write it; and I shall also speak unto all nations of the earth and they shall write it.

13 And it shall come to pass that the Jews shall have the words of the Nephites, and the Nephites shall have the words of the Jews; and the Nephites and the Jews shall have the words of the lost tribes of Israel; and the lost tribes of Israel shall have the words of the Nephites and the Jews.

14 And it shall come to pass that my people, which are of the house of Israel, shall be gathered home unto the lands of their possessions; and my word also shall be gathered in cone. And I will show unto them that fight against my word and against my people, who are of the house of Israel, that I am God, and that I covenanted with Abraham that I would remember his seed forever.

(Book of Mormon 2 Nephi 29:3 - 14)

I pray we as Latter Day Mormons can look, read, and ponder these pictures, books, and visions. And continue to increase in our temporal and spiritual strength.

Elder Peter Barber

Sermon: Our Understanding of Scripture

Many of us as Latter Day Mormons think we know all there is to know about the serpent in the Garden of Eden and the fruit he offered Eve. But do we really? Let us stop for a minute and let us take a closer look at the detail, because as the famous saying goes, the devil is in the detail. So let us as ourselves what does the Bible really reveal about that creature whose temptation brought our fallen state upon mankind?

We are all familiar with the sorry events of when our first parents rebelled against their Creator or are we really that familiar with the story, wait didn’t it go something like this? One sunny day Eve was walking through the trees admiring the luscious fruit and plants that God had placed throughout the Garden, when suddenly she heard a voice. Turning, she saw that the words came from a snake. No big deal, right. Many animals talked in the garden before the fall. Eve was innocent, so she never suspected a sinister and evil scheme and readily engaged in conversation.

Wait! Stop! Hold on. That’s not what happened, well, not exactly. You see, as Eve was walking through the garden admiring the creation of God a mighty angelic being approached her and struck up a discussion. After all we all know that Eve had regularly seen angels in her untainted home in Eden, so she had no reason to be wary. Whoa! Whoa hang on a moment that’s not in the Bible either is it? Eve was helping Adam tend the garden when she accidentally wandered away from Adam and came too close to the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Satan saw his him moment and seized the opportunity to deceive Eve by possessing a serpent and speak to her, that’s how it happened, Right?

As Latter Day Mormons it is important that we separate God’s Word from our conjectures no matter how wonderful they may sound or how plausible they may seem. We must remember that when we are talking about Biblical events, like David and Goliath, we often assume we know what happened, that is until someone asks, “But where’s that in the Bible?” It is at that moment that we realise that much of what we think we know as fact did in fact come from teachers, books, or movies we’ve encountered over the years, and not from the Scriptures.

In the case of the events in the Garden of Eden where does Genesis actually identify Eve’s deceiver as the devil? What kind of serpent talks? Was the serpent in a tree? And why wasn’t Eve shocked to hear a talking creature? All these questions are relevant but in many cases are not supported by the scriptures and to many of us can seem a bit of a shock when we find that what we thought we knew was in fact fantasy. It is only natural that in our effort to make sense of these scenes from history that have been left with many holes we try based on the limited perspective of our own lives to fill in the details, however we must remember to be very careful. It is so very important for Latter Day Mormons, as we proclaim the privilege of being led by God and revelation that we remember to separate God’s Word from our conjectures.

So let us ask ourselves and cast our minds back to the three examples I gave at the beginning of this sermon and ask ourselves if any of these three examples closely represent what happened? What do we really know about the details and events of that moment? The answers largely depend in many cases on who you ask. So with that in mind let’s us see who promoted each of these three views to see if they had any biblical support to help us identify the creature. Since the answers shed light on the interaction between humans and the evil “powers” that attempt to draw us into sin, our proper understanding is vitally important to our walk with God (see Ephesians 5:15; 2 Corinthians 2:11).

The first question asked is was The Serpent Just an Animal? Well some early Jewish writers did not think Satan was behind the temptation of eve at all, after all, Satan’s name does not appear in the Genesis account of any of the Bibles apart from our own, the JST. They believed because of there inaccurate scriptures that the serpent itself tempted Eve and the craftiness of this particular animal led to Eve’s fall into sin. It is written in the Book of Jubilees, written before the New Testament and of historical interest although not part of the Bible, states that on the day Adam and Eve were kicked out of the garden God closed the mouths of all living things “so that they could no longer speak: for they had all spoken . . . with one tongue” (Jubilees 3:28).  Another account written by the Jewish historian Josephus repeated this popular Jewish idea, writing that God “also deprived the serpent of speech, out of indignation at his malicious disposition towards Adam. Besides this, he inserted poison under his tongue, and made him an enemy to men.” 

We need to remember that most of what the world now knows about Satan comes from New Testament writings, as they do not have the inspired version of the Bible given to us by God. The New Testament links “the serpent” to Satan several times (Revelation 12:9 and 20:2; and also 2 Corinthians 11:3–15). The most popular view among Christians today is that Satan possessed the body of a serpent. This position combines the strengths of the other two views while minimising the difficulties it brings up scripturally. As Latter Day Mormons we have been blessed with the JST Bible and we know that Satan was responsible in a very real sense, but we also have the witness of the New Testament which indicates this as well (John 8:44).

In concluding this sermon may I remind each and everyone of us that things are not always as they seem at first glance in the scripture which is why God blesses us with the spirit and also with Prophets to help us and to guide in the right paths? This often becomes apparent when we study the Scriptures in detail. In the case of the serpent in the Garden of Eden, many questions remain unanswered to those without prophets to guide them or fulfilled scripture to aid them, however we should still remain tentative in answering them. Either we lack sufficient understanding, or the Holy Spirit chooses not to divulge enough information for us to be conclusive, that is the state in which we find ourselves. While it is intriguing to think about the serpent’s appearance and it is important to consider the ways in which the devil works (2 Corinthians 2:11), a far more important concern is how he was able to deceive the first woman and how Satan continues even today to tempt people to doubt the Word of God today and the Gospel today Just as in the days of Adam and Eve. Let us not forget that Satan was able to led Eve to question the reliability of God’s statements (“Did God really say . . .”), the enemy of creation and God is currently attacking the reliability of the early chapters of Genesis, with similar deadly results. There are many believers who have fallen for his deception and have opted to reinterpret or ignore the biblical view of the origin of the human family. This continued attack has had devastating results because it undermines our very understanding of biblical authority and the basis of the gospel of Christ and the message of eternal salvation. Let us as Latter Day Mormons learn from the mistake of our mother Eve, and take a firm stand on God’s side and on the revelation of life and the human family contained in Genesis. Let us not forget for one moment that God meant what He said, and we need to believe it today and for ever in our quest to return to be with him again.

Stonehenge Revealing Her Secrets

Humans have marvelled at the majesty of Stonehenge for thousands of years, but the famous landmark’s original purpose has remained a mystery. Now, a new radar technique has revealed hundreds of previously unknown Neolithic monuments, chapels, and shrines around the mysterious monument in Wiltshire. One archaeologist thinks they could provide evidence that the stone circle was at the heart of a busy processional route for well over 4,000 years ago.

The archaeologist Professor Gaffney went on to say: - ‘This is among the most important landscapes, and probably the most studied landscape, in the world, and the area has been absolutely transformed by this survey. It won’t be the same again. It’s going to change how we understand Stonehenge”

Professor Gaffney believes these sites suggest Stonehenge was not an isolated monument in an unspoilt landscape, but that there was lots of human activity nearby.

The Latter Day Church of Jesus Christ has always known that this entire landscape has always been more than what the wider world has thought. We know through revealed scripture that this was a place of worship for many generations and that it was frequented almost all of the time by many people who lived and worshiped near by in the vicinity of Stonehenge. We do not need to be told by so called men of worldly knowledge what we have known through revelation, however it helps us to know that they are only now beginning to learn what we have known for many years.

To learn more about the real truth of ancient Britain, read for yourselves The Book of Jeraneck and please visit our website www.latterdaymormon.co.uk

Official Statement: New Church Triple Scriptures

The Latter Day Church of Jesus Christ is pleased to present ‘The Triple’. The Triple is a volume of three official church scriptures in one combined book. The Triple includes The Book of Jeraneck, The Book of Mormon, and the Doctrine and Covenants. All of the scriptures contained within The Triple are the officially recognised church editions scriptures. Copies  of The Triple are available for sale on our church website.

Sermon: Examples To All

We all have times in our lives when we need an example to follow. When we are children, it is usually a character in a book or a super hero off the TV. In my youth it was reading the books of Paul brickhill, such as The Great Escape and Reach for The Sky that I found a lot of my hero’s and examples of heroic acts and leadership.

As we move forward in our experiences of life new exemplars of life emerge more lasting and more close to hand.  My father, my elder brother, and as I moved forward and found my faith I developed a strong love of characters in scripture. Characters like Moses, Abraham, David, Nephi, Helaman, and Captain Moroni.

In first Peter verse 21 it reds “For even hereunto were ye called because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps” 

The story of Joseph beginning in Genesis 37 is so very powerful. The Prophet had a pretty tough life. He was sold into slavery by his jealous brothers. His father was told that he was killed by a wild animal. He was framed by his boss’s wife because he refused to sleep with her and was thrown into prison. He interpreted the dream of a prisoner who was released and restored to his position, but the guy forgot about him. In the end, though, Joseph became the leader of all Egypt–second only to the Pharaoh himself. When there is a famine, he is then able to save his family from starvation. He tells his brothers when he sees them again that, though they meant harm, God orchestrated the events to put Joseph in a position to save them. Leaders have a vision that sustains them through difficult times.

Great leaders rule by example rather than command as is the case many times in the scriptures. In Joshua 24, after leading his people into a new land, Joshua offers the Israelites the option to either A:- serve the God who they had always served, the one who had brought them into the land or B:- serve the gods of the surrounding lands. “But as for me and my house,” he says, “We will serve the Lord.” The people answer in unison that they will pledge their allegiance to God. Because they believe in Joshua’s leadership, they follow Joshua’s example. He doesn’t have to threaten them; he merely inspires them by his example.

When we are doing what the Lord requires of us born out of knowledge acquired by study, we too can be an inspiration to others. We must separate ourselves from the worldly enticements around us as we see from the example of the early life of Daniel. In Daniel chapter one, we find that Daniel and his three young friends remained true to their God despite being taken captive and subjected to pagan beliefs and practices. They were strangers in a foreign land who found themselves separated from their families and friends. They had every opportunity to begin enjoying the sinful, worldly attractions and entertainment that surrounded them in the land of Babylon, for there were no Godly adults to tell them what to do or what to refrain from doing. Yet they refused to defile themselves with the pleasures, foods and amusements of the pagan Babylonian lifestyle. Why? Because their convictions were their own. Other young Israelites were also taken captive, but they gave in to the pressures to conform to the wicked Babylonian lifestyle. Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego did what was right because they were young people with personal conviction. God rewarded them for their separation from the world. Their behaviour and lifestyle remained exemplary throughout their captivity. We need to remember this account of Daniel and his three friends when it seems as though it is impossible for us to be different from the world or even from fellow Christians who are following the world.


In the name of our Saviour Jesus Christ Amen

Elder Philip A. Gill

Sermon: Gods Creation

As a child living in London I would always be looking up at the night sky. I would wish I could visit the moon, planets, and stars. I would wonder if there was life on them, and what they looked like. I saw photographs of the Milky Way, and galaxies. However living in South London limited my ability to see some of these objects. However when I spent several weeks holiday in a village called Gellilydan in North Wales. I was able to see the sky with no light pollution. I was able for the first time to see into the Milky Way, there were millions of stars. The whole of my being told me, there is a God out there, and I tried to reason how I fitted into the scheme of things. Later in life when people would say to me "there is no God" I would reply. "Have you looked at the night sky lately?"

In the book of Mormon there was a person called Korihor. He was an antichrist. Korihor is directly referred to in The Book of Mormon as an Anti-Christ; because he claimed that there would be no Christ. Korihor was able to preach his views to the people because of the land's freedom of religion. These teachings alarmed the clerical government in Zarahemla, who felt that his views were dangerous to their society, as people had begun to ignore the laws of the land (which were based on the religious beliefs of their society). Korihor attempted to preach to the people of Ammon, but the residents had kicked him out of Jershon. He also tried preaching in Gideon and he was arrested. Before a high priest, during a hearing for his apparent blasphemy and for causing social discord, Korihor offered a speech in his own defence. Korihor was turned over to a higher authority and later got into an argument with the chief judge and governor, Alma regarding the existence of God. Alma responded to Korihor's arguments, stating that all things testified that there is a God. Korihor finally demanded that Alma show him a sign from God or he, Korihor, would not believe in God. This culminated in Korihor being miraculously rendered deaf and mute, upon which Korihor confessed, in writing: - “I always knew that there was a God. But behold, the devil hath deceived me; for he appeared unto me in the form of an angel, and said unto me: Go and reclaim this people, for they have all gone astray after an unknown God. And he said unto me: There is no God; yea, and he taught me that which I should say”. (Alma 30:52-53)

Korihor begged for forgiveness, but Alma, sensing that Korihor would go back to his wicked ways, cast Korihor out. Korihor became a beggar and was later trampled to death by the Zoramites, a group who had separated themselves from the main Nephite society. We Read in Alma:-

"And now Korihor said unto Alma: If thou wilt show me a sign, that I may be convinced that there is a God, yea, show unto me that he hath power, and then will I be convinced of the truth of thy words. But Alma said unto him: Thou hast had signs enough; will ye tempt your God? Will ye say, Show unto me a sign, when ye have the testimony of all these thy brethren, and also all the holy prophets? The scriptures are laid before thee, yea, and all things denote there is a God; yea, even the earth, and ^call things that are upon the face of it, yea, and its motion, yea, and also all the planets which move in their regular form do witness that there is a Supreme Creator. And yet do ye go about, leading away the hearts of this people, testifying unto them there is no God? And yet will ye deny against all these witnesses? And he said: Yea, I will deny, except ye shall show me a sign. And now it came to pass that Alma said unto him: Behold, I am grieved because of the hardness of your heart, yea, that ye will still resist the spirit of the truth, that thy soul may be destroyed. But behold, it is better that thy soul should be lost than that thou shouldest be the means of bringing many souls down to destruction, by thy lying and by thy flattering words; therefore if thou shalt deny again, behold God shall smite thee, that thou shalt become dumb, that thou shalt never open thy mouth any more, that thou shalt not deceive this people any more". (Alma 30: 43 - 47)

Jesus Christ has always been associated with light. Sometimes that association seems symbolic of the idea that light is good and evil is darkness, and the message of Christ is referred to as the gospel of light (2 Cor. 4: 4-6) In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. (2 Corinthians 4:4 - 6)

Other times it seems more literal. For example, the Saviour said that he is the "light and life of the world," (John 8:12, 3 Nephi 9:18,) and later "the resurrection and the life" (John 11:25).

I pray that as we turn on the lights in our homes, as mentioned in my last sermon and now as we look to the sky, and see the sun moon, and stars. We are looking at God’s creations. We can look to God, His eternal plan, and live.

Amen.

Elder Peter C. Barber

Sermon: Our Place in the End Times

This week we have remembered those that died in the First World War. To lots of people it was a conflict many years ago, so long ago indeed that for many it can’t be recalled or indeed should never be so. Through the losses of life and the social changes that accompanied it we must remember it, it is a fact we can’t escape. While generations of families from all Social strata’s where effected with many of their loved ones never returning from this conflict, children left without fathers wives struggling to bring up children on their own.  We read in Psalms 27:3 ‘Though a host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear, though war should rise against me, in this am I confident’

Today we are fighting still, we are fighting against all forms of evil, tyranny, terrorism, inequality, all made to afflict man, all this used to great effect by Satan in his battle against righteousness. We need to protect our selves by wrapping our souls in the love of our lord. We put him at the head of our lives. Again we read in Psalms 29:1-2 ‘Give unto the Lord, O ye mighty, give unto the Lord Glory and strength. Give unto the Lord the glory due unto His name; worship the Lord in the beauty of Holiness’

In these end times we need to heed the teachings of the gospel and promptings of the Holy Ghost, being steadfast in prayer and fasting. In the D&C 88: 21 we read ‘Also, I give unto you a commandment that ye shall continue in prayer and fasting this time forth. And I give unto you a commandment, that you shall teach one another, the doctrine of the kingdom’

The war with Satan through his disciple the Anti-Christ in these end times will indeed make all conflicts in the past pale into insignificance. The Devil will be in much greater honour in the end times amongst the mass of the earth population, who will embrace the teachings of the Anti-Christ. The great positive in these end times to followers of the Saviour will be that we know the second coming of our Lord is imminent, and will usher in a thousand years of peace and love. In Revelation 19:16 and Revelation 20:1-2 we read ‘And he hath on a vesture, and on his thigh a name written, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords…And I saw an Angel come down out of heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon that old serpent, which is the Devil and Satan, and bound him a thousand years’

Finally The Latter Day Church of Jesus Christ is lead prophetically, using revelation coupled with scripture. In the Doctrine and Covenants 124:13 we read ‘And verily I say unto you, let this house be built unto My name, that I may reveal mine ordinances therein, unto My people, for I deign to reveal unto My church, things which have been kept hid from before the foundation of the world, things that pertain to dispensations of the fullness of times’

Our Prophet Matthew Gill is a man with whom God has chosen to talk to and to give guidance and direction through, for his people and his church. My plea today to all those who will read this address, would be to come follow us especially those who are in other Mormon sects, come listen to a Prophets voice take heart in these end times, learn from a Prophet still receiving revelation from the Lord where our future lies.

Amen.

Elder Philip A. Gill

Sermon: Power in the Priesthood

In this world we are living in today with all the environmental issues relating to the consumption of energy whole new fields of science have developed in energy, and power. We hear experts speaking about its conservation. Chemical power, electric power, wind power, nuclear power. All these types of energy are all under intense experiments for development. The integral of power over time defines the work performed. Because this integral depends on the trajectory of the point of application of the force and torque, this calculation of work is said to be path dependent.

The same amount of work is done when carrying a load up a flight of stairs whether the person carrying it walks or runs, but more power is needed for running because the work is done in a shorter amount of time. The output power of an electric motor is the product of the torque that the motor generates and the angular velocity of its output shaft. The power involved in moving a vehicle is the product of the traction force of the wheels and the velocity of the vehicle. The rate at which a light bulb converts electrical energy into light and heat is measured in watts the higher the wattage, the more power, or equivalently the more electrical energy is used per unit time.

On the cutting edge of technology scientist are researching into a fusion reactor for commercial use. All these energies and power sources are a great blessing for us here on earth. The human body when examined from a power and energy perspective is a wonderful creation by our Father in heaven.

In the scriptures we learn that Satan sought to have God’s glory (His power) by the plan he proposed, but was rejected and Jesus Christ’s plan accepted. We are informed that one third of the heavenly host followed Satan, and were cast out, unable to advance any further.

(JST Revelation 12:6-9.)

6 And there was war in heaven; Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought against Michael;

rev. 12:87 And the dragon prevailed not against Michael, neither the child, nor the woman which was the church of God, who had been delivered of her pains, and brought forth the kingdom of our God and his Christ.

rev. 12:98 Neither was there place found in heaven for the great dragon, who was cast out; that old serpent called the devil, and also called Satan, which deceiveth the whole world; he was cast out into the earth; and his angels were cast out with him.

rev. 12:109 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ;

rev. 12:1010 For the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.

rev. 12:1211 For they have overcome him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; for they loved not their own lives, but kept the testimony even unto death. Therefore, rejoice O heavens, and ye that dwell in them.

rev. 12:1212 And after these things I heard another voice saying, Woe to the inhabiters of the earth, yea, and they who dwell upon the islands of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.

In the Latter Day Church of Jesus Christ we make reference to the power of the Melchizedek priesthood.

Doctrine, and Covenants 1835 107:37

"The Melchizedek priesthood holds the right of presidency, and has power, and authority over all the offices in the church, in all ages of the world, to administer in spiritual things."

Without the spirit, power will corrupt, as we see in governments, legal systems, professional bodies, to name a few. So when we drive our cars, turn on a lights, cook our meals, walk, and run. This energy and power is given to us from above.

We pray we can use our energy, and power in ways that our Father in heaven is pleased as we live the gospel of Jesus Christ.

By Elder Peter Barber

Sermon: The Holy Spirit

The subject of the Holy Ghost or as I like to call him the Holy Spirit is one that has perplexed many for sometime however The Latter Day Church of Jesus Christ are not in a state of confusion or misapprehension concerning the Holy Spirit for we have been told all we need to know concerning this personage who sits on the God head with the Father. Let us be clear we are not talking about what the Holy Spirit does or what his function is, there is not confusion about that, we know that he is sent to bear witness of the Father and the Son and also to be a constant companion to those that diligently seek, we read "The gift of God unto all those who diligently seek him, as well in times of old as in the time that he should manifest himself unto the children of men…. For he that diligently seeketh shall find; and the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto them, by the power of the Holy Ghost, as well in these times as in times of old, and as well in times of old as in times to come" (1 Ne. 10:17-19).

As we have said we know the role that the Holy Spirit plays in our lives and the power that he is endowed with, but who is he? It must be stressed that in this dispensation nothing has been revealed as to his origins or his ultimate destiny all we do know is what is written in the scriptures and that details mostly with what he does and not who he is. In the Lectures on Faith, which form an integral part of our doctrine it tells us that the Holy Spirit is the mind of God the Father and that he is the feeling or power of God in all things.

Now let is look at who he is. The Latter Day Church of Jesus Christ teach that the Holy Spirit is a man, a man of spirit a personage like the Father but is a personage of spirit separate and distinct from both the Father and the Son. Joseph Smith told us that the Holy Spirit has not a body of Flesh and bones, but is a personage of Spirit. Let us be clear that the Holy Ghost is a personage of spirit, a spirit man if you will, but he can only be in one place at one time however his power can be felt all over the world.

So let’s look at what we already know. We know that the Holy Ghost is the third member of the Godhead and that he is called the Holy Ghost or Holy Spirit and that he has been given an authority to express the feeling of God to all men who allow him in their hearts and is therefore called the comforter, all three the Father, Son and Holy Spirit form a Godhead equal in authority and power. In a very real sense, the Holy Spirit dwells in the hearts of the righteous Saints of all dispensations.

The Prophet Joseph Smith stated in his many teachings that an "everlasting covenant was made between three personages before the organization of this earth, and relates to their dispensation of things to men on the earth; these personages…are called God the first, the Creator; God the second, the Redeemer; and God the third, the witness or Testator" (TJS, 190). When we examine this wonderful piece of revelation form the Prophet we see that the Holy Spirit was with God from the beginning and that he was a key component in the creation of life and so we proclaim that whatever he covenanted with the God of us all he is now and forever more a God equal in authority with the Father and the Son and had ascended beyond the need for a physical body just as the Father has done. We may never know why he has not had to receive a body; however we know that he has ascended to the role of God and sits at the highest levels of the Kingdom and with the power that he has been endowed with to bare witness of the Father and to send confirmation that Jesus is the Christ. Let us not forget that the creation could not have happened if it were not for the power of the Holy Spirit, for the priesthood works in concert with the Holy Spirit and they work together to magnify their power. And so when we examine the personage of the Holy Spirit and we examine just how little we know concerning him we should always look to the power that he conveys. The Prophet Joseph Smith taught that the influence of the Holy Ghost, is the convincing power of God of the truth of the gospel, and can be received before baptism; however the gift, or constant companionship, of the Holy Ghost, only comes by the laying-on of hands, and is only obtained only after baptism (TPJ, 199). The prophet went on to say "You might as well baptize a bag of sand as a man, if not done in view of the remission of sins and getting of the Holy Ghost. Baptism by water is but half a baptism, and is good for nothing without the other half-that is, the baptism of the Holy Ghost" (TPJ, 314).

For us as members of The Latter Day Church of Jesus Christ the most important role that The Holy Spirit fulfils is that of a teacher. All of us at some stage in our lives must be taught by the Holy Ghost. We must remember that the things of the Spirit can only be understood when taught and learned by the Spirit (D&C 50:11-24). Again let us look at what the Father did on behalf of the Saviour, for it was the Father who gave Christ the Spirit without measure (John 3:34). Angels also speak by the power of the Holy Ghost  without it they could not do their work. (2 Ne. 32:3). Such is the standard for all who go forth in Christ's name. "Ye are not sent forth to be taught," The Saviour said to the early church, "but to teach the children of men the things which I have put into your hands by the power of my Spirit; and ye are to be taught from on high. Sanctify yourselves and ye shall be endowed with power, that ye may give even as I have spoken" (D&C 43:15-16).

My Brothers and Sisters the Holy Spirit, no matter how much we study will always remain in many ways an enigma to us. We do not fully understand what role he fulfilled in the pre-existence and we only know what role he fulfils for us today and it is to that that we must look, for the power of his influence is so powerful that we must remember that without it we would all be alone and without a knowledge of the Father of his love for us. The Holy Spirit is such an uplifting power and source of gospel knowledge that to have his constant companionship and influence is the greatest gift a person can receive. It is this that makes us stand out from any other faith, not only our love of the feelings of the Holy Spirit but our love of the man himself and although our knowledge is limited to what he has done to deserve the awesome privilege of being a God and ascending like the father we love him and all he has done in enriching our lives and love of the father.