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
In a recent general conference, President Russell M. Nelson asked us to use the Church’s correct name – the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints- to properly acknowledge whose church this is.
Last night in General Conference, the prophet revealed a beautiful new logo for the church.
I’m not sure if we had an official logo before this announcement, but I think the image or silhouette of the Angel Moroni statue– found on the east center spire of the Salt Lake temple– may have been considered the unofficial symbol.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Logo Incorporates Several Important Elements
Front and center, the logo displays Thorvaldsen’s Christus. The Church has used the Christus extensively in its literature and other publications, and it is widely associated with the Church.
The Church purchased a replica of the statue in the 1950s to illustrate to the world our belief in Jesus Christ. Since then, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has placed 17 other statues around the world. The two most well-known statues are located at the Salt Lake Temple Square Visitor’s Center and at the newly completed Rome Italy Temple.
Next, the logo prominently displays the Church’s name. When I was a kid the title of the church was all one font size. Then, in the summer of 1997, it was updated to emphasize “Jesus Christ” in a larger text to highlight our central belief in Him.
The rectangle around the title represents a cornerstone, referencing the biblical passage of “Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone.”
Surrounding the Christus is an archway, symbolizing Christ’s emergence from the tomb.
One final element I noticed is the set of converging angled lines used in the outro in many recent media presentations produced by the Church. I think this is a thoughtful inclusion of existing branding.
President Nelson said of the logo:
[The symbol] portrays the resurrected, living Lord reaching out to embrace all who will come unto Him.
Image Credit: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
The long-anticipated day had finally arrived for Joseph Smith to take possession of the plates. Word had spread that Joseph would be obtaining them, and tensions were high. In the early hours of September 22, 1827, Joseph set out for the Hill Cumorah. His new wife, Emma, accompanied him, waiting in the wagon while Joseph climbed the hill.
At the sacred site of the plates, the Angel Moroni appeared once again and issued another warning:
You will have to be watchful and faithful to your trust or you will be overpowered by wicked men, for they will lay every plan and scheme that is possible to get them away from you. And if you do not take heed continually, they will succeed.
(Lucy Mack Smith, History, 1844–45, book 6, [1])
Joseph had previously tried to obtain a lockbox for safely transporting the plates but was unsuccessful. With no secure container, he temporarily hid the plates in a hollowed-out log until he could find a proper box.
Meanwhile, back at the Smith home, Lucy Mack Smith fretted over Joseph’s task as she served breakfast to Joseph Smith Sr., Joseph Knight, and Josiah Stowell. When Joseph and Emma arrived, Lucy had to leave the room when she saw Joseph was empty-handed. Joseph followed, reassuring her that he had indeed retrieved the plates. He handed her a cloth-wrapped bundle that contained the Urim and Thummim. The Urim and Thummim were seer stones the Lord prepared for the translation of the plates.
The very next day, Joseph Smith took a job repairing a well to earn some money for a lockbox. That same day, Joseph Smith Sr. overheard a group of men plotting to steal the plates. Alarmed, Joseph Sr. rushed home to share what he’d overheard. Joseph Jr. was an hour’s drive away working on the well, so Emma went at once to find Joseph and warn him.
After receiving the warning, Joseph hurried home and set off to recover the hidden plates. He wrapped the plates in a shirt and headed for home.
According to Lucy Mack Smith:
“After proceeding a short distance, he thought it would be safe to leave the road and through the woods. Traveling some distance after he left the road, he came to a large windfall, and as he was jumping over a log, a man sprang up from behind it and gave him a heavy blow with a gun. Joseph turned around and knocked him down, then ran at the top of his speed. About half a mile farther he was attacked again in the same manner as the former and ran on again; and before he reached home he was assaulted the third time. In striking the last one, he dislocated his thumb, which, however, he did not notice until he came within sight of the house, when he threw himself down in the corner of the fence in order to recover his breath. As soon as he was able, he arose and came to the house. He was still altogether speechless from fright and fatigue of running” (History of Joseph Smith by His Mother, 107-8).
Despite the danger, Joseph arrived home safely with the plates. Knowing he still needed to protect them, he sent his youngest brother, Don Carlos, down the road to the home of his older brother Hyrum to fetch a box in which to store the plates. Only once the plates were securely stored in the box did Joseph finally relax.
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.
Are you reading my Getting to Know Joseph Smith articles about the Prophet Joseph Smith? Are you getting impatient for me to finish? Or maybe you aren’t even that interested because you stumbled onto this site during your lunch break.
Of course, I would love for you to read them! I spent a lot of time researching and writing, hoping they would be helpful and meaningful. But if you’re not quite ready to dive in just yet (spoiler: you should read them anyway!), there is an easier starting point. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has published a short video that does a great job of summing up Joseph Smith in just five minutes. Give it a watch! Then, if you’re curious to learn more, you can come back and read the longer Getting to Know Joseph Smith articles!
Also, don’t forget to check out the official website of Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for even more information and resources! You can even request an appointment receive a copy of the Book of Mormon, and to meet with a pair of missionaries, who will come to your home and personally teach you about the miracle of the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ.
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.
