Faith, Family, Facts, and Fruits
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
The growing prominence of the Church and the increasing inquiries from others present us with great opportunities to build bridges, make friends, and pass on accurate information.
I am sure that these questions come not only to the Church but to you as individual members. It is not easy to explain something as vast as the Church or as wonderful as the restored gospel to people who know little or nothing about us. Even questions on one specific aspect can be difficult to answer because every question seems to be connected to other questions. The most common request we hear is a fairly simple one that goes something like this: “Tell me a little about your Church.” The key word here is “little.” They are not saying, “Tell me everything you know and then send others to tell me everything else.”
We, of course, welcome people’s interest, and many will want to be taught more about our doctrines and beliefs. This is why we have over 53,000 full-time missionaries serving at their own expense throughout the world.
But we need to remember that there is a difference between interest and mere curiosity. Sometimes people just want to know what the Church is. Those who are curious in this general way deserve clear and accurate information that comes directly from those of us who are members so that they do not have to rely on the incomplete answers, half-truths, or false statements that may come from the media or other outside voices. The many misunderstandings and false information about the Church are somewhat our own fault for not clearly explaining who we are and what we believe.
The Public Affairs Committee, on which I serve, has learned that there is a great need for clear, simple statements that present those who are curious with the basics about the Church as it is today. Let me share with you some of the things we have found to be helpful. You may want to prepare your own list of talking points that will assist you in explaining what we believe to your friends and acquaintances of other faiths. It may be helpful for you, as it is for me, to have on one page a few facts about the Church as it is today to give to them along with a copy of the Articles of Faith.
Here are four subjects that will help someone today to gain a basic understanding of the Church. Under each of the four headings, there are some simple statements I have found helpful. Try to imagine them being heard or read by a person who knows virtually nothing about us. The four main subjects deal with facts, faith, families, and fruits of the restored gospel.
Facts
Some facts might include:
- First, “Mormon” is a nickname for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Members are often referred to as “Mormons,” “Latter-day Saints,” or “LDS.” The term “Saint” means “member.”
- Second, the Church was restored in 1830 in upstate New York with Joseph Smith as its first prophet and president. Today it is headquartered in Salt Lake City, with President Gordon B. Hinckley as the present prophet.
- Third, there are now over 13 million members in 176 countries and territories. About 6 million of these are in the United States, making us the fourth largest Christian denomination in America. As one of the fastest growing Christian faiths in the world, we complete a new chapel every working day. Members pay a tithe, which is 10 percent of their income, making this and other programs possible.
- Fourth, local congregations are led by volunteer, unpaid members. Both men and women serve in assigned leadership positions.
- And fifth, Mormons are well represented in politics and government. (In the United States, for example, there are 16 members in Congress, from both political parties.) Members also serve in high and trusted positions throughout the world in business, medicine, law, education, media, sports, and entertainment.
Faith
Next, people need to know something of our faith as committed Christians with strong traditional values. Along with the Articles of Faith we need to emphasize that:
- We believe in the eternity of the soul, that God is the Father of our spirits, and that we can return to Him after death.
- We believe that Jesus Christ is our personal Savior, and we try to model our lives after Him and His teachings. We commemorate Christ’s atoning sacrifice in our Sunday worship services, similar to taking communion in other churches. We accept as fellow Christians all who believe Jesus Christ to be the Son of God and the Savior of all mankind. Many Christians do not understand that we have much common ground with them. Joseph Smith taught that Jesus Christ is the core of our belief, and everything else is an appendage to it (see Elders’ Journal, July 1838, 44). The name of the Church is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
- We believe the original church that Jesus established was lost and has been restored again in our day. The priesthood, the authority given to man to act in the name of God, with apostles and a prophet to lead us, has been restored as have all necessary ordinances of salvation.
- We believe in and we use the Holy Bible, both the Old and New Testaments.
- And we believe in the Book of Mormon and other books of scripture which support and authenticate the Bible and testify of the ministry and divinity of Christ and of God’s ongoing revelation to man. Indeed, the Book of Mormon is “Another Testament of Jesus Christ.”
Family
The next thing it is good for people to know is how family-centered our theology and our lifestyles are. Once again, simple statements are helpful to someone who is uninformed but curious about the importance we place on families.
- Mormons place particularly strong emphasis on family as the basic unit of the Church and of society. We have a deep commitment to marriage (defined as a union between one man and one woman). Polygamy, a limited practice in the early pioneer days of the Church, was discontinued in 1890, some 117 years ago.
- Families and individuals, whether members of our faith or not, can attend Sunday services in our chapels. Here we worship together, instructing one another from the scriptures.
- Latter-day Saint families are encouraged to hold family home evenings weekly, usually on Monday nights. This provides a regular and predictable time for parents to teach values to their children and to have fun together. We invite those not of our faith to adopt this practice with their own families.
- The Church has auxiliary programs for women, youth, and children as a support to the family. These programs provide such things as religious instruction, opportunities for Christian service, sports, drama, music, and Scouting.
- And there is also much focus on extended family, genealogy, and personal family history, providing young and old with a stronger sense of roots, identity, and belonging. The highest and most sacred ordinances of our faith relate to our families, both living and dead, and some of these ordinances take place in our temples.
Fruits
Now, even as someone begins to understand a few facts about us and comes to know us more accurately by our faith and the importance of family, it was the Savior who said “by their fruits ye shall know them” (Matthew 7:20; emphasis added). A church, or any way of life, should be judged by the fruits or the results that it generates. Here are a few examples based on United States statistics. But these would be similar throughout the world among practicing Mormons (by which we mean those who attend church and the temple regularly):
- One of the fruits is a longer life. Studies show that practicing Mormons are healthier and therefore live longer than the national average. In 1833 the Lord revealed to Joseph Smith the Word of Wisdom, which is the way to live in order to enjoy a long and healthy life.
- Second, those who are married in and attend the temple regularly have a divorce rate far below the national and world average.
- Third, we achieve an educational level that is higher than the national average.
- Fourth, over 70,000 members volunteer at their own expense to serve for 18 to 24 months in humanitarian efforts, Church service assignments, and full-time missionary service throughout the world.
- And fifth, we place strong emphasis on self-reliance and a solid work ethic. We encourage active involvement in our communities and in providing service to others. The Church continues to donate substantial money, goods, and services to humanitarian causes around the globe, including untold hours of labor donated by members to assist in disaster cleanup and relief.
Brothers and sisters, in today’s busy world, I have found that most people will not read or focus on more than just a few important facts at one time. Whatever you choose to use to inform your friends and acquaintances about the Church, write it down, check it for accuracy, and keep it simple and short.
The growing prominence of the Church and the increasing inquiries from others present us with great opportunities to build bridges, make friends, and pass on accurate information. But it can also present a greater possibility of misunderstanding and sometimes even prejudice if we allow others to define who we are and what we believe rather than presenting it ourselves.
Generally, there is no problem with those who are personally acquainted with our members. But there are millions upon millions who are not acquainted with any members of our faith. I would hope that those who know very little about the Church would seek to learn more about us. I would hope they would get to know our members rather than judging us by the misinformation given by those who do not know and in some cases by those who would deliberately mislead or defame.
You as members can help this to happen by reaching out and sharing with others the basic information found in the Articles of Faith, along with such things as the facts, faith, families, and fruits of the gospel.
We should also remember that sometimes the best way to answer people’s interest can be by how we live, how we radiate the joy of the gospel in our lives, how we treat others, and how sincerely we follow the teachings of Christ.
For those who want to learn more than just the few basics I have discussed, the missionaries can be called upon to teach them the doctrine from chapter 3 in Preach My Gospel. The missionaries know how to answer more of their questions and lead them to conversion and baptism.
Now is the time for all of us to reach out and tell others who we are. Prepare some simple facts such as those I have shared with you today and help those who are curious to know a little about the Church and then to want to know more about the Restoration of the gospel.
Brothers and sisters, never hesitate to bear your testimony with sincerity and love. The power of personal testimony cannot be denied and often ignites in others the interest to know more. I know this to be true and leave you my absolute witness that I know The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is true, and I bear that testimony to you in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
信仰、家庭、事實與果子
十二使徒定額組
教會的知名度越來越高，詢問關於教會的人越來越多，這讓我們有許多大好機會來建立關係、認識朋友、傳遞正確的信息。
我 相信人們不只會向教會問問題，也會向身為教友的你們提出問題。要向對我們所知甚少，甚至一無所知的人解釋關於教會這個廣泛的題目，或是像復興的福音這樣奇 妙的事，其實並不容易。即使只針對某一方面的問題也可能很難回答，因為每個問題似乎都與其他的問題互有關連。我們最常被問到的問題，是個很簡單的問題，像 是：「跟我講一點有關你的教會的事情。」關鍵就在「一點」這兩個字。他們問的不是：「把你知道的每件事告訴我，然後再請別人告訴我其他所有的一切。」
我們當然很歡迎別人對教會感興趣，而且有很多人想要更了解我們的教義與信仰。這就是為什麼我們會有53,000多名全部時間傳教士，自費在世界各地服務的原因。
但 是我們必須記住，「感興趣」和「純粹出於好奇」之間是有差別的。有時候人們只是想知道教會是怎麼一回事而已。對於這種好奇、想獲得大體概念的人，我們應該 提供清楚、正確的資訊，而且應當直接由身為教友的我們來提供，這樣他們就不必倚賴不完整的答案、似是而非的道理，或者來自媒體、外界的錯誤說法。人們對教 會的許多誤解及錯誤訊息，很多都是因為我們自己的疏失造成的，因為我們沒有清楚說明我們是怎樣的一群人，以及我們的信仰是什麼。
我所服務的公共事務委員會了解到，對教會今日的基本概況感到好奇的人，我們需要為他們提供清楚、簡單的說明。容我向大家分享一些我們發現很管用的內容；大家不妨也列出自己要講的重點，來幫助你向其他宗教信仰的朋友或認識的人說明我們的信仰。先在一張紙上列出教會今日現況的一些事實，然後連同一份信條一起交給問問題的人，這個方法對我很有用，對你也應該很有幫助。
我要提出四個主題，幫助一些人在今天對本教會有基本的了解。在每一個標題項下，我會列出一些我發現很有幫助的簡單敘述。請大家試著想像，對教會一無所知的人在聽到或讀到這些話時，會是什麼情況。這四個主題談的是復興福音的事實、信仰、家庭，以及果子。
事實
可以列出的事實包括：
- • 第一：「摩爾門」是對耶穌基督後期聖徒教會的暱稱。教友常被人稱為「摩爾門教徒」、「後期聖徒」或「LDS」。「聖徒」一詞指的是「教友」。
- • 第二：本教會於1830年在紐約州北部由約瑟‧斯密復興，他是本教會的第一位先知和總會會長。今天，教會總部位於鹽湖城，戈登‧興格萊是現任的先知。
- • 第三：教友人數如今超過一千三百萬人，分佈於176個國家和地區。其中有六百萬名教友住在美國，是全美第四大基督教會。我們是世界上發展最快速的基督教會 之一，每個工作天都有一座新教堂落成竣工。教友會繳付什一奉獻，也就是他們收入的十分之一，這是為什麼我們能蓋教堂和進行其他計畫。
- • 第四：各地會眾都由自願且不支薪的教友領導；不論男女都在受指派的領導職位上服務。
- • 第五：摩爾門教友在政壇及政府部門皆有傑出的表現（以美國為例，國會中有16位議員是教友，分屬兩個政黨）。在世界各地，不論是商業界、醫學界、法律界、教育界、傳播媒體、運動界或娛樂界，都有教友在高層單位服務，受人信賴。
信仰
接下來，人們需要知道我們信仰的一些事，需要知道我們是忠信的基督徒，具有堅強的傳統價值觀。除了信條之外，我們還必須強調：
- • 我們相信靈魂是永恆的，神是我們靈體的父親，我們死後可以回到祂的身邊。
- • 我們相信耶穌基督是我們個人的救主，我們努力在生活中效法祂，服從祂的教導。我們在星期日的崇拜儀式中記念基督的贖罪犧牲，這種作法與其他教會的聖餐禮相 似。凡相信耶穌基督是神子及全人類救主的人，我們皆認同他們是我們的基督徒朋友。許多基督徒並不了解，我們和他們之間其實有很多相似之處。約瑟‧斯密教 導：耶穌基督是我們信仰的核心，其他一切都只是附屬的部分（see Elders' Journal, July 1838, 44）。本教會的名稱是耶穌基督後期聖徒教會。
- • 我們相信耶穌建立的原始教會曾經消失，但如今已在我們這時代再次復興。聖職是神賜給人得以奉祂的名行事的權柄，如今這聖職以及領導我們的使徒與先知，連同獲得救恩的一切必要教儀，都已經復興了。
- • 我們相信並使用聖經的舊約及新約經文。
- • 我們相信摩爾門經以及其他經文，這些經文支持聖經並證實聖經的真實性，同時也見證基督的傳道聖工與神性，以及神不斷地賜啟示給世人。摩爾門經確實是「耶穌基督的另一部約書」。
家庭
接下來，讓人們知道我們的神學及生活型態是以家庭為中心，這是項很好的作法。我再次強調，簡單的陳述對那些不了解但又對我們如此重視家庭感到好奇的人來說，是很有用的。
- • 摩爾門教徒特別重視家庭是教會及社會的基本單位，對婚姻有很深的承諾（我們對婚姻的定義是一男一女的結合）。多重婚姻是在教會早期先驅者時代極少數人的作法，這種情形已經在1890年，也就是大約是117年前終止了。
- • 無論是否是本教會的教友，任何家庭及個人都可以到我們的教堂參加星期日聚會。我們在聚會中一同崇拜，根據經文來互相教導。
- • 教會鼓勵後期聖徒家庭每週舉行一次「家人家庭晚會」，通常在周一晚間舉行。這讓父母能夠定期在預先規劃好的時間裡教導子女價值觀，並共享歡樂。我們邀請其他宗教信仰的人也在自己家中採納這項作法。
- • 為了幫助家庭，教會為婦女、青少年和兒童提供了輔助組織計畫，這些計畫提供的內容包括宗教教育、基督徒的服務機會、運動、戲劇、音樂，以及童軍活動。
- • 本教會也非常強調家族、家譜，以及個人的家庭歷史，讓男女老幼對於自己的根源、身份和歸屬有更深的認知。在我們的信仰中，最崇高神聖的教儀都與家人有關，不論是生者還是死者都一樣，其中的一些教儀在聖殿中舉行。
果子
人們開始了解關於我們的一些事實，能夠更正確地了解我們的信仰以及家庭的重要時，救主說「憑著他們的果子就可以認出他們來」（馬太福音7：20）。不論是教會或生活的各個層面，都應該可以根據所結的果子或成果來加以評判。以下幾個例子是根據美國的統計數據；但世界各地活躍的摩爾門教友的情況應該都差不多（活躍是指經常去教會和聖殿）：
- • 其中一個果子就是比較長壽。研究顯示，活躍的摩爾門教友比較健康，因此壽命比國人的平均壽命更長。主於1833年將智慧語啟示給約瑟‧斯密，這是享有長壽健康的生活方式。
- • 第二，在聖殿結婚並經常去聖殿的人，離婚率遠比美國或世界的離婚率低。
- • 第三，我們的教育水平比國人的平均教育水平更高。
- • 第四，有超過70,000名教友以自費的方式志願服務18到24個月的時間，在世界各地參與人道救濟計畫、教會指派的服務工作以及全部時間的傳道服務。
- • 第五，我們非常強調自立和務實的工作倫理。我們鼓勵教友積極參與社區事務，為人服務。教會在人道救濟方面不斷地於全球各地捐助大量金錢、物資，並提供服務，其中包括教友奉獻無數小時在災區協助清理善後及進行各項援助工作。
弟兄姊妹們，在今日繁忙的世界裡，我發現大多數人沒有很長的時間去閱讀或同時專注在好幾項重要的事情上。不論你選擇要告訴朋友及你認識的人關於教會的哪些事情，都要把它們寫下來，確認這些事情的正確性，並且務必簡潔。
教會的知名度越來越高，詢問關於教會的人越來越多，這讓我們有許多大好機會來建立關係、認識朋友、傳遞正確的信息。但是，如果都讓別人來詮譯我們，解釋我們的信仰，而不是由我們自己來說明的話，就很有可能造成誤解，有時甚至會造成偏見。
大致而言，如果由本身認識教友的人來說明，並不會有什麼問題。但是，有千千萬萬的人並不認識我們教會的任何教友。我希望對教會了解不多的人能夠儘量認識我們。我希望他們能夠來認識我們的教友，而不是根據不明就裡、甚至蓄意誤導或誹謗的人所提供的錯誤信息來評斷我們。
身為教友，你們可以讓這個理想實現，你們可以主動向人分享信條中的基本信息，以及福音中這一類的事實、信仰、家庭與果子。
我們也應該記得，當別人對我們感興趣時，最佳的回應方式是透過個人的生活，在生活中散發出福音的喜樂、我們待人的方式，以及我們是否真誠地服從基督的教導。
如果有人對於我所討論的幾件基本事情之外，還想再多了解一些，就可以去找傳教士。傳教士會根據宣講我的福音第三章來教導他們明白教義。傳教士知道該如何回答他們的許多疑問，引導他們歸信與受洗。
現在是我們一起主動告訴他人我們是誰的時候了。準備一些簡單的事實，就像我今天與各位分享的一樣，幫助那些好奇的人對教會有一點認識，進而想知道更多關於福音的復興。
弟兄姊妹們，要懷著誠懇與愛心作見證，切勿遲疑。個人見證的力量是無法否認的，也往往能引發他人想要了解更多的興趣。我知道這會是真的，也要留下我確實、不容置疑的見證：我知道耶穌基督後期聖徒教會是真實的，我這樣見證是奉耶穌基督的名，阿們。
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