I can do all things through Christ

www.kevinhinckley.com

Question…

As Latter Day Saints, what drives us to do what we do?

How can we tell when we are motivated more by:

Love? Fear?

13th Article of Faith- In Primary

We believe in being honest, true, and chased by an elephant…

13th Article of Faith

We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul—

Philippians 4 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true,

whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just; whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do; and the God of peace shall be with you.

Question

In our search for “truth”, how much truth can we find outside “official” LDS church sources?

What is the danger in looking outside the church for truth?

President Hinckley and Church History

We have critics who appear to cull out of a vast panorama of information those items which

demean and belittle some men and women of the past who worked so hard in laying the foundation of this great cause. They find readers of their works who seem to delight in picking up these tidbits, in chewing them over and relishing them. In so doing they are savoring some small morsel, rather than eating a beautiful and satisfying dinner of many courses.

My plea is that as we continue our search for truth, particularly we who are members of the Church, we look for strength and goodness rather than weakness and foibles in those who did so great a work in their time. We recognize that our forebears were human. They doubtless made mistakes. Some of them acknowledged making mistakes.

But the mistakes were minor when compared with the marvelous work they accomplished. To highlight mistakes and gloss over the greater good is to draw a caricature. Caricatures are amusing, but they are often ugly and dishonest. A man may have a wart on his cheek and still have a face of beauty and strength, but if the wart is emphasized unduly in relation to his other features, the portrait is lacking in integrity.

Faith: The Essence of True Religion, 76-77.

Question:In the search for truth, how much weight should we put into “older” church history sources?

Brother MilletWhat is Our Doctrine?

…very often the critics of the Church simply use our own "stuff" against us. They do not need to create new material; they simply

dig up and repackage what some of our own Church leaders have said in the past that would not be considered a part of the doctrine of the Church today.

Latter-day Saints are eager to sustain and uphold their leaders. Consequently, we are especially hesitant to suggest that something taught by President Brigham Young or Elders Orson Pratt or Orson Hyde might not be in harmony with the truth as God has made it known to us "line upon line, precept upon precept“

Religious Educator, Volume 3

Brother Millet ContinuesSome time ago a colleague and I were in southern

California speaking to a group of about five hundred people, both Latter- day Saints and Protestants. During the question-and-answer phase of the program, someone asked the inevitable: "Are you really Christian? Do you, as many claim, worship a different Jesus?" I explained that we worship the Christ of the New Testament, that we believe wholeheartedly in His virgin birth, His divine sonship, His miracles, His transforming teachings, His atoning sacrifice, and His bodily resurrection from the dead. I added that we also believe in the teachings of and about Christ found in the Book of Mormon and modern revelation.

After the meeting, a Latter-day Saint woman came up to me and said, "You didn't tell the truth about what we believe!“ Startled, I asked, "What do you mean?“ She responded, "You said we believe in the virgin birth of Christ, and you know very well that we don't believe that.“ "Yes, we do," I retorted. She then said with a great deal of emotion, "I want to believe you, but people have told me for years that we believe that God the Father had relations with Mary and thereby Jesus was conceived.“ I looked her in the eyes and said, "I'm aware of that teaching, but that is not the doctrine of the Church; that is not what we teach in the Church today. Have you ever heard the Brethren teach it in conference? Is it in the standard works, the auricular materials, or the handbooks of the Church? Is it a part of an official declaration or proclamation?"

I watched as a five-hundred-pound weight seemed to come off her shoulders, as tears came into her eyes, and she simply said, "Thank you, Brother Millet."

Paul Continues

…for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.

I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound; everywhere and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.

I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me

President Hinckley and Paul

According to my earnest expectation and my hope,

that in nothing I shall be ashamed… so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.

But if I live in the flesh, ye are the fruit of my labor. Yet what I shall choose I know not.

For me to live, is to do the will of Christ; and to die, is my gain. Now I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better;

Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you.And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and

continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith