"Thou shalt thank the Lord thy God in all things"

Doctrine and Covenants 59:7 reads, "Thou shalt thank the Lord thy God in all things."  As today is our National Day of Thanksgiving, The Mormon Eagle feels disposed to list three things one should always be thankful to God for.

1. Almighty God and His Son Jesus Christ
Neither the Bible nor the Book of Mormon ever take any effort to prove the existence of God or Jesus Christ; rather, they acknowledge Their existence as an absolute.  Thus it is so.  We should be ever grateful to God for His bountiful gifts to us: the gift of sight, that we might see the Word of the Lord on the pages of scripture; the gift to hear, that we might learn the word of the Lord from the mouths of His living Prophets and Apostles; the gift of touch, that we might hold the Bible and Book of Mormon in our hands and turn their pages as we learn of Him whose Church it is; the gift of taste, that we might taste with sweetness the many foods He has given us for nourishment; and the gift of smell, that we might with reverence bask in the fragrances of the flowers at the Houses of the Lord.  I know the Lord Jesus Christ is real, that His love is infinite and all-encompassing, and that He calls Prophets and Apostles in The Church of Jesus Christ in this day, as He has in the past.

2. The Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a supernal volume which, when read humbly, deliberately, and thoughtfully, opens the mind to the correct doctrines of Jesus Christ and His Gospel as found in His Church, both ancient and modern.  Well did President Joseph Smith say, "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" (Book of Mormon Introduction).  No other volume has caused the author to weep as the Book of Mormon; no other volume will open one's eyes to how much the Lord loves him, and to how much the Lord has done for him, as the Book of Mormon.  I, Clark LeRay Herlin, know the Book of Mormon is true and that it truly brings the sincere reader closer to God than by any other book.

3. The Prophet Joseph Smith
Well did President John Taylor write,


Joseph Smith, the Prophet and Seer of the Lord, has done more, save Jesus only, for the salvation of men in this world, than any other man that ever lived in it.  In the short space of twenty years, he has brought forth the Book of Mormon, which he translated by the gift and power of God, and has been the means of publishing it on two continents; has sent the fulness of the everlasting gospel, which it contained, to the four quarters of the earth; has brought forth the revelations and commandments which compose this book of Doctrine and Covenants, and many other wise documents and instructions for the benefit of the children of men; gathered many thousands of the Latter-day Saints, founded a great city, and left a fame and name that cannot be slain.  He lived great, and he died great in the eyes of God and his people; and like most of the Lord’s anointed in ancient times, has sealed his mission and his works with his own blood; and so has his brother Hyrum.  In life they were not divided, and in death they were not ^fseparated (D&C 135:3)!

Joseph Smith the Prophet was the man, under the Lord Jesus Christ's direction, who restored the Church of Jesus Christ to the earth after the Great Apostasy spoken of by Paul and Amos (see 2 Thes. 2:3 and Amos 8:11-12 respectively).  He was a Prophet, and the Book of Mormon is the fruit of his labors.  As Jesus hath told us we shall know a false prophet from a true prophet by his fruits, it is to the Book of Mormon we must look to discern truth from error.  If, as Jesus saith, "every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit" (Matt. 7:17), then it stands to reason that if the Book of Mormon is what it purports to be (scripture in companion to the Bible), it will testify of Jesus Christ; if the Book is false, it will bring forth no good feelings to the soul.  Because the Book of Mormon is true, and is what the Lord commanded Joseph Smith the Prophet to bring forth by His power, President Smith is a Prophet of the Lord, and President Monson is God duly-ordained representative in our day.

I know what I have said is true.  If hearkened to, the Lord will bring peace to the heart, joy to the soul, and salvation to the body.  In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Mormon Theology no. 39 - "Preach the Gospel to Every Creature"

I served my mission in southern California, and was often criticized when I would preach Jesus Christ to other Christians.  Other people would yell at me and my companions because they simply didn't want us around, or maybe they thought we were annoying.  So, why preach the Gospel?

The Prophet Joseph Smith taught, "After all that has been said, the greatest and most important duty is to preach the Gospel. (History of the Church 2:478)"  He also stated, "  The Savior stated, "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.  Amen. (Matt. 28:19-20)"  As the only true and living Church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has that mandate from the Lord.  We have missionaries all over the world, but not yet in every nation.  Until that time, the Word will continue to go forth.  Joseph Smith said it best.  Said he, "The truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done. (History of the Church 4:540)"

We don't ask people to throw away any truths that their lives or religions have in them.  According to President Joseph Smith, "We don't ask any people to throw away any good they have got; we only ask them to come and get more.  What if all the world should embrace this gospel?  They would then see eye to eye, and the blessings of God would be poured out upon the people, which is the desire of my whole soul. (History of the Church 5:259)"  He also gave the reason LDS Missionaries preach the Gospel.  He taught, "A man filled with the love of God, is not content with blessing his family alone, but ranges through the whole world, anxious to bless the whole human race. (History of the Church 4:227)"

I know The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the only Church with proper Authority from God to teach His Gospel.  I know that the Book of Mormon is true and that it will lead the humble reader closer to God, and eventually back into God's Presence.  As President Smith said, so pray I, "I ask God in the name of Jesus, to . . . cause that His word may speedily go forth to the nations of the earth, to the accomplishing of His great work in bringing about the restoration of the House of Israel. (History of the Church 1:451)"  In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.