The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints released a short video yesterday featuring Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
Elder Bednar shares how he is able to hear the voice of the Lord in his own life. I feel it is universal to all who are trying to learn how to feel the Spirit in their life. We could all use a spiritual boost from the Spirit every day.
I like how he says that “the scriptures are the prerecorded voice of the Lord” and then describes the spirit as a non audible voice and a feeling in the mind and heart. I can attest to that as I’ve felt that feeling in my mind and in my heart at times when I have felt the Holy Ghost giving me guidance in my life.
On Easter, I wanted something to do, so I went online and downloaded a few of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ videos about Christ. I edited them together to create a special video for my family.
I hadn’t planned on sharing it with anyone else, so there are a few rough spots that could use more editing, but I ran out of time. Still, I hope you enjoy it!! And don’t miss the full talk below.
Music: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
The Church allows for the use of the footage for personal, non-commercial use, so I hope they also allow for it to be edited for personal and non-commercial use
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has officially released Volume 2 of their Saints book series. This captivating series chronicles the rich history of the Church, beginning with the Restoration through the Prophet Joseph Smith and continuing onward. Volume 2 covers significant events from that early period up to recent developments, and I imagine it will continue to document important moments right up to the publication of the final volume in the series.
Get Saints Volume 2
What’s great is that this book is available for free in digital format, making it easily accessible to anyone interested in Church history. Interestingly, while the digital version is free, the audiobook versions on platforms like iTunes and Amazon do carry a cost. However, you can download the audiobook directly from the Church’s official website at no charge, which is a wonderful option if you prefer listening over reading. For those who love the feel of a physical book, a paperback copy is also available for a very reasonable price of just $6.25.
You can find Volume 2, as well as Volume 1, on the Church’s official website. So don’t worry if you haven’t yet read the first volume — both are ready and waiting for you to explore this fascinating and inspiring history.
Image Credit: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Before I share these awesome videos, I think it will be helpful to give you a little background on what the Book of Mormon is. If you’re not already familiar with it, check out this post to become more familiar with what this video covers.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has recently undertaken the monumental task of producing a series of videos that bring the stories of the Book of Mormon to life. While I’m sure how in-depth they plan to go with every story of the Book of Mormon, the first season does a good job chronicling the story.
At first, I considered embedding each video each video here so you could easily find them all in one place. However, since this series will likely include many episodes over the next several year, I decided to simply direct you to the official pages where you can watch them as they are released. That way you’ll always have access to the latest content without missing anything.
All of the videos are available to watch on YouTube, with makes them easy to access from just about anywhere. Be sure to subscribe to the channel so you can be kept up-to-date on the newest episode.
In addition, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints also hosts the entire collection directly on their official website. This option can actually be a little easier if you want to watch the videos in order, since YouTube’s navigation can make it tricky to follow things chronologically.
When you explore the videos, you’ll notice that each tile represents a section of scriptures. The longest video in each group tells the broader, master story, while the shorter clips are little vignettes highlighting specific events from that same period.
I’m not sure why the shorter videos weren’t included in the longer versions. My guess is that they were designed as specific lessons for the church’s study curriculum in 2020.
Image Credit: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
I asked my 10-year-old daughter what the Book of Mormon is. She thought for a moment and said, “Some people talking about Jesus and their lives and some stuff like that.”
It made me smile. That simple answer came from a child who has grown up in a home where she’s heard stories from the Book of Mormon, memorized verses, and felt the Spirit while learning about Jesus Christ.
And honestly– she’s not wrong.
The Book of Mormon is a book of scripture, written by ancient prophets who lived on the American continent. It testifies of Jesus Christ, His divinity, His teachings, and His love for all people. Just like the Bible, it was written by real people with real experiences, trying to follow God and help others do the same.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has published a short and inspiring video that gives a beautiful introduction to what the Book of Mormon is and why it matters. If you’ve ever wondered what it’s about, this is a great place to start.
Unfortunately, a one-minute video isn’t quite long enough to truly capture what the Book of Mormon is.
I probably won’t do it justice either, but I’ll give it a try.
The History
The Book of Mormon is a compilation of the writings of prophets much like the prophets of the Bible.
The first prophet we meet in the Book of Mormon is Lehi. He lived in Jerusalem around 600 B.C., during the same time as the biblical prophet Jeremiah. Like Jeremiah, Lehi was warned by the Lord that the city would soon be destroyed. In response to this revelation, God commanded Lehi to take his family and flee into the wilderness.
Lehi and his family eventually reached the seashore. There, Lehi’s son Nephi (who is also the narrator of the first portion of the Book of Mormon) was instructed by the Lord on how to build a ship. Guided by divine direction, Nephi built the vessel, and the family set sail across the ocean to a promised land, which we now know as the American continent.
Establishing a Nation
Not all was well in Lehi’s family. His two eldest sons, Laman and Lemuel, were constant complainers. They resisted the journey almost every step of the way, often arguing with Nephi and even rebelling against their father’s leadership.
After the family arrived in the promised land, the tension between the brothers eventually led to a split. Laman and Lemuel took their families and separated from Nephi and those who followed him. Over time, these two groups became distinct civilizations: the Nephites, named after Nephi, and the Lamanites, named after Laman.
Throughout the centuries, God continued to call prophets among these people. One of those prophets was Enos, whose story is a powerful example of sincere prayer and personal conversion. (You can watch a video my family made about Enos here.)
The spiritual state of the people constantly shifted—righteousness would rise and fall with each generation. Conflict between the Nephites and Lamanites became a recurring theme, especially as pride and wickedness crept in.
A large portion of the Book of Mormon is dedicated to the writings of a prophet named Alma. His record includes inspiring teachings, personal conversion stories, and detailed accounts of numerous wars and political struggles between the Nephites and Lamanites.
Why the Book of Mormon is Another Testament of Jesus Christ
The crowning moment of the Book of Mormon is the visit of the resurrected Jesus Christ to the people on the American continent.
During His mortal ministry in Jerusalem, Christ said, “And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd” (John 10:16).
Following his resurrection, Jesus Christ came to the American continent and ministered to the people for a short time. This sacred account can be found in 3 Nephi chapters 11 through 27 in the Book of Mormon.
For many years following Christ’s visit, there was peace in the land, However, that peace did not last. Over time, pride and contention crept back into the lives of the people. The Book of Mormon concludes with scenes of bloodshed and the complete destruction of the Nephite civilization.
One of the last surviving Nephites was Mormon, a prophet and historian. He was responsible for compiling all of the available records, which is why the book bears his name.
Mormon passed the plates to his son Moroni, who was the last prophet to write in the Book of Mormon. Moroni then hid the plates in the earth, burying them in a hill that would one day be located in what is now upstate New York.
How We Got the Book of Mormon
In 1823, Moroni appeared to Joseph Smith as a resurrected being and began instructing him regarding the ancient record he had buried centuries earlier. Over time, Moroni guided Joseph in obtaining and eventually translating the plates into what we now know as The Book of Mormon.
If you’re interested in learning more, I encourage you to read the series of posts I’ve written about Joseph Smith. These cover his early life, his miraculous vision of God the Father and Jesus Christ, the translation of the Book of Mormon, and the restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ in our day. The story begins with Getting to Know Joseph Part 1
In Conclusion
Rather than try to say it better myself, I’ll simply invite you to read the second half of the Introduction page in the Book of Mormon—it says it best.
Concerning this record the Prophet Joseph Smith said: “I told the brethren that the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book.”
In addition to Joseph Smith, the Lord provided for eleven others to see the gold plates for themselves and to be special witnesses of the truth and divinity of the Book of Mormon. Their written testimonies are included herewith as “The Testimony of Three Witnesses” and “The Testimony of Eight Witnesses.”
We invite all men everywhere to read the Book of Mormon, to ponder in their hearts the message it contains, and then to ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ if the book is true. Those who pursue this course and ask in faith will gain a testimony of its truth and divinity by the power of the Holy Ghost. (See Moroni 10:3–5.)
Those who gain this divine witness from the Holy Spirit will also come to know by the same power that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world, that Joseph Smith is His revelator and prophet in these last days, and that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the Lord’s kingdom once again established on the earth, preparatory to the Second Coming of the Messiah.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has released a beautiful new nativity video just in time for Christmas. Take a few moments to watch and enjoy. And may you have a very Merry Christmas!
There is something truly powerful about seeing a depiction of what the birth of the Savior might have looked like. It helps bring the scriptures to life and invites us to reflect more deeply on the sacredness of that night.
I love how this video makes me feel. As you watch, take note of the feelings that come to your hear. That warmth, peace, and reverence you feel is the Spirit of God bearing witness of the truth of His Son’s birth.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints recently released a powerful new video inspired by a talk by Elder Ulisses Soares of the Council of the Twelve Apostles. It’s a message we all need right now. It is a reminder that we should strive to be unified, regardless of religion, race, lifestyle, or creed.
Following the example of Jesus Christ means loving others, even when we don’t agree.
I believe this message is extremely applicable today. It feels like the world is becoming less tolerant of each other’s differences and more divided by opinion. But we don’t have to let it be that way. You may not believe the same things I do and that’s okay. We can still respect one another’s beliefs.
Just like the rivers in the video, we can work together to become strong. Together we gain strength, not just for ourselves, but for our communities and the world around us.
