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Excited to see that a new Mormon movie is in the process of getting made. The movie will tell of the inspiring story of a group of Missionaries who created a basketball team, Mormon Yankees,in the 1950s to capture people's attention and teach them about the Church. To read the full story, visit: http://lds.net/blog/buzz/entertainment/new-mormon-yankees-movie-way/#.VNmzl4Eo7fr What are your opinions about this upcoming movie? Are you looking forward to it, not really or could careless? Tell me in the comments!

"FULFILLING OUR DUTY TO GOD" Below are some important topics pertaining to the church. These topics are from the book, "For the Strength of Youth." Fulfilling Our Duty to God ------------------------------------- *AGENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY Your Heavenly Father has given you agency, the ability to choose right from wrong and to act for yourself. You have been given the Holy Ghost to help you know good from evil. While you are here on earth, you are being proven to see if you will use your agency to show your love for God by keeping His commandments. While you are free to choose for yourself, you are not free to choose the consequences of your actions. When you make a choice, you will receive the consequences of that choice. The consequences may not be Immediate, but they will always follow, for good or bad. Wrong choices delay your progression and lead to heartache and misery. Right choices lead to happiness and eternal life. That is why it is so important for you to choose what is right throughout your life. You are responsible for the choices you make. You should not blame your circumstances, your family, or your friends if you choose to disobey God's commandments. You are a child of God with great strength. You have the ability to choose righteousness and happiness, no matter what your circumstances. You are also responsible for developing the abilities and talents Heavenly Father has given you. You are accountable to Him for what you do with your abilities and how you spend your time. Do not idle away your time. Be willing to work hard. Choose to do many good things of your own free will. *GRATITUDE The Lord wants you to have a spirit of gratitude in all you do and say. Live with a spirit of thanksgiving and you will have greater happiness and satisfaction in life. Even in your most difficult times, you can find much to be grateful for. Doing so will strengthen and bless you. In your prayers, before you ask for blessings, pour out your heart to God in thanks for the blessings you have already received. Thank Him for your family, for friends and loved ones, for leaders and teachers, for the gospel, and for His Son, Jesus Christ. You can also express gratitude to the Lord by the way you live. When you keep His commandments and serve others, you show that you love Him and are grateful to Him. Express appreciation to everyone who helps you in any way. *FAMILY Being apart of a family is a great blessing. Your family can provide you with companionship and happiness, help you learn correct principles in a loving atmosphere, and help you prepare for eternal life. Not all families are the same, but each is important in Heavenly Father's plan. Do your part to build a happy home. Be cheerful, helpful, and considerate of others. Many problems in the home are created because family members speak and act selfishly or unkindly. Concern yourself with the needs of other family members. Seek to be a peacemaker rather than to tease, fight, and quarrel. Remember that the family is the most sacred unit of the church. Honor your parents by showing love and respect for them and by being obedient. Be willing to help in the home with chores that need to be done. Participate in family activities and traditions, including family prayer, family home evenings, and family scripture reading. These traditions strengthen and unify families. Set a good example for other family members. Strengthen your relationship with your brothers and sisters. They can become your closest friends. Support them in their interests and help them with problems they may be facing. *DRESS AND APPEARANCE Your body is God's sacred creation. Respect it as a gift from God, and do not defile it in any way. Through your dress and appearance, you can show the Lord how precious your body is. You can show that you are a disciple of Jesus Christ. Prophets of God have always counseled His children to dress modestly. The way you dress is a reflection of what you are on the inside. Your dress and grooming send messages about you to others and influence the way you and others act. When you are well groomed and modestly dressed, you invite the companionship of the Spirit and can exercise a good influence on those around you. Never lower your dress standards for any occasion. Doing so sends the message that you are using your body to get attention and approval and that modesty is important only when it is convenient. Immodest clothing includes short shorts and skirts, tight clothing, shirts that do not cover the stomach, and other revealing attire. Young women should wear clothing that covers the shoulders and avoid clothing that is low-cut in the front or the back or revealing in any other manner. Young men should also maintain modesty in their appearance. All should avoid extremes in clothing, appearance, and hairstyle. Always be neat and clean and avoid being sloppy or inappropriately casual in dress, grooming, and manners. Ask yourself, "Would I feel comfortable with my appearance if I were in the Lord's presence?" Someday you will receive your endowment in the temple. Your dress and behavior should help you prepare for that sacred time. Do not disfigure yourself with tattoos or body piercings. If girls or women desire to have their ears pierced, they are encouraged to wear only one pair of modest earrings. Show respect for the Lord and for yourself by dressing appropriately for Church meetings and activities, whether on Sunday or during the week. If you are not sure what is appropriate, ask your parents or leaders for help. *DATING In cultures where dating and courtship is acceptable, dating can help you find lasting friendships and eventually find an eternal companion. Date only those who have high standards and in whose company you can maintain your standards. A young man and a young women on a date are responsible to help each other maintain their standards and to protect each other's honor and virtue. You must honor the sanctity of the priesthood and of womanhood. Do not date until you are at least 16 years old. Dating before then can lead to immortality, limit the number of other young you can meet, and deprive you of experiences that will help you choose an eternal partner. Not all teenagers need to date or even want to. Many young people do not date during their teen years because they are not yet interested, do not have opportunities, or simply want to delay forming serious relationships. However, good friendships can and should be developed at every age. When you begin dating, go in groups or on double dates. Avoid going on frequent dates with the same person. Make sure your parents meet those you date. You may want to invite your dates to activities with your family. Plan dating activities that are positive and inexpensive and that will help you get to know each other. Do things that will help you and your companions maintain your self-respect and remain close to the Spirit of the Lord. *SEXUAL PURITY Physical intimacy between husband and wife is beautiful and sacred. It is ordained of God for the creation of children and for the expression of love between husband and wife. God has commanded that sexual intimacy be reserved for marriage. When you obey God's commandment to be sexually pure, you prepare yourself to make and keep sacred covenants in the temple. You prepare yourself to build a strong marriage and to bring children into the world as part of a loving family. You protect yourself from the emotional damage that always comes from sharing physical intimacies with someone outside of a marriage. Do not have any sexual relations before marriage. Satan may tempt you to rationalize that sexual intimacy before marriage is acceptable when two people are in love. That is not true. In God's sight, sexual sins are extremely serious because they defile the power God has given us to create life. The prophet Alma taught that sexual sins are more serious than any other sins except murder or denying the Holy Ghost. Before marriage, do not do anything to arouse the powerful emotions that must only be expressed in marriage. Do not participate in passionate kissing, lie on top of another person, or touch the private, sacred parts of another person's body,with or without clothing. Do not allow anyone to do that with you. Do not arouse those emotions in your own body. In cultures where dating or courtship is acceptable, always treat your date with respect, never as an object to be used for your lustful desires. Stay in areas of safety where you can easily control your physical desires. Do not participate in talk or activities that arose sexual feelings. *REPENTANCE The savior gave His life for us and suffered for our sins. This great sacrifice is called the Atonement. Through the Atonement, you can receive forgiveness and be cleansed from your sins when you repent. When you do what is necessary to receive forgiveness, you will know for yourself the power of the Atonement and the love God has for you. You will feel the peace of the Lord Jesus Christ, which will bring you great strength. Satan wants you to think that you cannot repent, but that is absolutely not true. The Savior has promised you forgiveness if you will do what is required. The sooner you repent, the sooner you will find the blessings that come from forgiveness. Some people knowingly break God's commandments, expecting to repent before they go to the temple or serve a mission. Such deliberate sin mocks the Savior's Atonement and invites Satan to influence your life. Repentance for such behavior is difficult and can take a long time. If you sin this way, you may lose years of blessings and spiritual guidance. You may become trapped in the sinful behavior, making it difficult to find your way back. You always need to confess your sins to the Lord. You should also confess your sins to those you have wronged. If you have committed serious sin,such as immortality, you need to confess them to your bishop. *HONESTY Be honest with yourself, others, and the Lord. When you are honest in every way,you build strength of character that will allow you to be of great service to God and others. You will be blessed with peace of mind and self-respect. When you are honest, you will be trusted by the Lord and by those around you. Dishonesty hurts you and usually hurts others as well. When you lie,steal,shoplift, or cheat, you damage your spirit and become less able to do good things. Be honest in your job, giving a full amount of work for your pay. Don't rationalize that wrong is right, even though many people around you may think there is no harm in being dishonest. Being honed requires courage and commitment to do what you know is right. *TITHES AND OFFERINGS The law of tithing is an important commandment that you should obey throughout your life. A tithe is one-tenth of your income. Paying tithing shows your gratitude for all that God has given you. It is a way to help build God's kingdom on earth. Tithing is used to build temples and meeting houses, translate and publish the scriptures, provide Church materials to members, do missionary work, perform temple and family history work, and support seminaries and institutes. Your attitude is important in paying tithing. Pay it because you love the Lord and have faith in Him. Pay it willingly with a thankful heart. Pay it first,even when you think you don't have enough money to meet your other needs. Doing so will help you overcome selfishness and be more receptive to the Spirit. At the end of each year, schedule a time for tithing settlement with your bishop. This is a meeting in which you review your contribution records and declare whether you have paid a full tithe. Obey the law of the fast by fasting once each month (if health permits), usually on the first Sunday of the month. A proper fast day observance includes not eating or drinking to help care for those in need. Begin and end your fast with prayer, asking for special help with a specific need. *PHYSICAL HEALTH The Lord has commanded you to take good care of your body. To do this,observe the Word of Wisdom, found in Doctrine and Covenants 89. Eat nutritious food,exercise regularly, and get enough sleep. When you do all these things, you remain free from harmful additions and have control over your life. You gain the blessings of a healthy body,an alert mind,and the guidance of the Holy Ghost. Never use tobacco products, such as cigarettes, snuff,chewing tobacco, cigars, and pipe tobacco. They are very addictive and will damage your body and shorten your life. Also, do not drink coffee or tea,for these are addictive and harmful. Any form of alcohol is harmful to your body and spirit. Being under the influence of alcohol weakens your judgement and self-control and could lead you to break the law of chastity or other commandments. Drinking can lead to alcoholism, which destroys individuals and families. Any drug,chemical, or dangerous practice that is used to produce a sensation or "high" can destroy your physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. These include hard drugs,prescription or over-the-counter medications that are abused, and household chemicals. Never let Satan or others lead you to think that breaking the Word of Wisdom Wil make you happier or more attractive. *GO FORWARD WITH FAITH The standards presented in this article (pamphlet) will help you make correct choices. Review them often and ask yourself, "Am I living the way the Lord wants me to live?" To help you become all that the Lord wants you to become, get on your knees each day and express to Him the desires of your heart. He is the source of all wisdom, and you need His help. He will hear and answer you. Read the scriptures daily. They are a powerful strength to your testimony. Remember and keep the covenants you made when you were baptized and that you renew each week when you partake of the sacrament. You young men should keep the covenants you made when you received the priesthood. Keeping these covenants now will help you prepare for the temple covenants you will make in the future. Be true to the Lord and to His Church in all circumstances. The authorities of the Church will lead you in paths of happiness. Be grateful for your membership in God's great kingdom. Be humble and willing to listen to the whisperings of the Spirit. Place the wisdom of the Lord above your own wisdom. Above are some of the most important principles and practices of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. This article was designed to teach new-comers the central teachings and beliefs of the church as well as the lifestyle and cultural backgrounds. It should also benefit members by strengthening their faith and reminding everyone to read the scriptures daily and to be strong as we endure to the end. FOR THE STRENGTH OF YOUTH Fulfilling Our Duty to God Scriptures related to the topics at hand: AGENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY "Wherefore,men...are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men,or to choose captivity and death", 2 Nephi 2:27). (Matthew 25:14-29) GRATITUDE ("He who receiveth all things with thankfulness shall be made glorious", D&C 78:19). (Luke 17:12-19) FAMILY ("Happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith,prayer,repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work,and wholesome recreational activities" ("The Family:A Proclamation to the World"). Also look up: (Ephesians 6:1-3) DRESS AND APPEARANCE ("Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?...The temple of God is holy,which temple ye are" 1Corinthians 3:16-17.) (Alma 1:27) DATING ("The Lord has made us attractive one to another for a great purpose. But this very attraction becomes as a powder keg unless it is kept under control. ..it is for this reason that the Church counsels against early dating" -President Gordon B. Hinckley (2 Corinthians 6:14) SEXUAL PURITY ("The sacred powers of procreation are to be employed only between man and women, lawfully wedded as husband and wife")- The Family: A Proclamation to the World (Genesis 39:1-12);(D&C 38:42) REPENTANCE ("He who has repented of his sins, the same is forgiven, and I, the Lord, remember them no more")-D&C 58:42 (Alma 36:6-24) HONESTY ("Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not bear false witness")-- (Exodus 20:15-16) (Alma 27:27) TITHES AND OFFERINGS ("Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, . . .and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the Windows of heaven,and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it") -- (Malachi 3:10;3Nephi 24:10) (D&C 119:3-4) PHYSICAL HEALTH ("All saints who remember to keep and do these sayings. . .shall receive health in their navel and marrow to their bones;and shall find wisdom and great treasures of knowledge, even hidden treasures;and shall run and not be weary,and shall walk and not faint")--- (D&C 89:18-20) (Daniel 1:3-20) SERVICE TO OTHERS ("By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another")--- (John 13:35) (Luke 10:25-37) Hope everyone enjoys this article. Took me a full 4.5 hours to complete!!! Enjoy!!!!! ------------------------------------- ***THE END*****

Thanks everyone for the warm welcoming! I look forward to getting to know you all better through the message boards and interested to begin interacting with you all asap!! Thanks again for welcoming me to the site. Hope y'all have a great night!

Oh and here the description of what the book is about that I recommended in my previous post: *** President Monson recalls tender and inspiring personal experiences that will build faith and testimony for every reader. Taken from events throughout his life, these accounts are organized into sections: Service to Others Faith Precedes Blessings Prayer Availeth Much Missionary Moments Testimony Teaches Truth Example of the Believers On the Lighter Side

I'm sorry to hear about your challenges. Life is difficult at times.it's not always going to be sunshine and vacations. We all experience tough times at one point or another. As hard as it is to believe at the time your in pain, it'll always remain true,that is;it could be much worse. The fact is, there's someone out there in this world who's going through something much more challenging. Not to make light of your own hardship or to take away from it. Because you have every right to be in pain, angry, sad, furious, worried etc. However, eventually we must get up and forge along. grieve first, get through your battles then begin learning to move forward as life will always continue with or without you. And then you must be able to forgive. If you can't forgive, you'll always remain at war deep inside. And then begin building faith again. A deeper relationship with God. I wish you the best and I will pray for you. I trust that you can find your place in church again. And as far as books go, I've posted a link to a book that I think will really benefit you. Please take a look. Thanks and have a wonderful day. God bless! In my prayers. http://deseretbook.com/Inspiring-Experiences-Build-Faith-Life-Ministry-Thomas-S-Monson/i/2716047

Basically, most believe God to be all powerful, all knowing, without beginning or end. I don't think most of the denominations teach or even know why God created us. Mostly, I think it's up to the individual to freely believe why he or she thinks they are here. They also teach of a trinity. Very confusing doctrine and I think many of the denominations teach slightly differently about it. But basically it's understood as God is one revealed as three person's. Only one God, one substance but revealed as three. An example given to me by a friend was, there is time (God) and time has three principles; past,present and future (father,son and spirit) all time but different aspects. So that's the best I can understand it and explain it. Its a very difficult doctrine to grasp. As God is beyond human comprehension and we are not made to fully understand him, as many Christians would say.

Hello everyone! New to this site. Just recently started getting more involved with online forums and being that I'm Mormon, it was nice to find this one. Look forward to chatting with and getting to know others who share my same faith! My name is Robert or Rob. I'm 24 from small town Ohio. Near Columbus. I enjoy meeting new people,spending time with family, tennis,volleyball, movies,going out to eat..walks,camping all fun. Laid back and get along with just about everyone. But anyway, hello everyone! ☺