Miracles in the Church

[Investigator1]

Many religions claim to have examples of various miracles that point towards God, whether it's the various Marian apparitions in the Catholic Church or the Holy Fire miracle that apparently occurs every year for the Orthodox Church (and of course the most important miracle in these churches, the transformation of bread and wine into the body and blood of Jesus). Now, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has had miraculous events from its beginning, with the appearance of God the Father and Jesus Christ to Joseph Smith, and afterward various Biblical figures and angels. What is the Church's view on more recent miracles? Does the LDS Church have views on miracles? Is there phenomenon that occurs in the LDS Church that helps to point towards God, etc.? There are all these stories of weeping icons and statues, apparitions, Holy Fire, saintly intercession, etc. in these other churches, and I was wondering if there are similar stories and miracles that occur in the LDS Church.

Thanks!

[Connie]

I read this book a long while back called Modern-Day Miracles by L. Brent Goates. Apparently President Harold B. Lee kept a file of miracles he heard about in the church. This book was a compilation of a few of them. A lot of them were some pretty amazing and wonderful miracles. Really good read.

The below is what our Bible Dictionary says about miracles:

BIBLE DICTIONARY

Miracles

An important element in the work of Jesus Christ, being not only divine acts, but forming also a part of the divine teaching. Christianity is founded on the greatest of all miracles, the resurrection of our Lord. If that be admitted, other miracles cease to be improbable. Miracles should not be regarded as deviations from the ordinary course of nature so much as manifestations of divine or spiritual power. Some lower law was in each case superseded by the action of the higher. They were intended to be a proof to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ (Matt. 11: 4-5; John 2: 11; John 10: 25; John 20: 30-31). Many of them were also parabolic and instructive, teaching by means of symbols such divine truths as the result of sin and the cure of sin; the value of faith; the curse of impurity; and the law of love. The miracles of healing also show how the law of love is to deal with the actual facts of life. Miracles were and are a response to faith, and its best encouragement. They were never wrought without prayer, felt need, and faith.

It is important to notice the different names by which miracles are described. They are called signs, as being visible tokens of an invisible power; they are powers or mighty works, because they are the acts of One who is almighty; they are simply works, or the natural results of the Messiah’s presence among men; they are wonders, marvels, because of the effect produced on those who saw them. The following miracles are found in one Gospel only

Matthew.

The curing of two blind men (Matt. 9: 27-31).

the casting out of a devil from the dumb man (Matt. 9: 32-34).

the stater in the fish’s mouth (Matt. 17: 24-27).

Mark.

The healing of a deaf and dumb man (Mark 7: 31-37).

the restoration of the sight of the blind man at Bethsaida (Mark 8: 22-26).

Luke.

The draught of fishes (Luke 5: 4-11).

the raising of the widow’s son (Luke 7: 11-16).

the healing of the woman with a spirit of infirmity (Luke 13: 11-17).

the healing of the man afflicted with dropsy (Luke 14: 1-6).

the cleansing of the ten lepers (Luke 17: 12-19).

the healing of Malchus (Luke 22: 50-41).

John.

Water made wine (John 2: 1-11).

the healing of the nobleman’s son (John 4: 46-54).

the healing of the impotent man at Bethesda (John 5: 1-16).

the restoration of sight to the man blind from birth (John 9).

the raising of Lazarus (John 11: 1-45).

the net full of fishes (John 21: 1-24).

Miracles are a part of the gospel of Jesus Christ. If miracles cease it is because faith has ceased. See Mark 6: 5-6; Morm. 9: 10-20; Ether 12: 12.

[Wingnut]

Moroni 7:35-37

35 And now, my beloved brethren, if this be the case that these things are true which I have spoken unto you, and God will show unto you, with power and great glory at the last day, that they are true, and if they are true has the day of miracles ceased?

36 Or have angels ceased to appear unto the children of men? Or has he withheld the power of the Holy Ghost from them? Or will he, so long as time shall last, or the earth shall stand, or there shall be one man upon the face thereof to be saved?

37 Behold I say unto you, Nay; for it is by faith that miracles are wrought; and it is by faith that angels appear and minister unto men; wherefore, if these things have ceased wo be unto the children of men, for it is because of unbelief, and all is vain.

Mormon 9:9-21

9 For do we not read that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and in him there is no variableness neither shadow of changing?

10 And now, if ye have imagined up unto yourselves a god who doth vary, and in whom there is shadow of changing, then have ye imagined up unto yourselves a god who is not a God of miracles.

11 But behold, I will show unto you a God of miracles, even the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; and it is that same God who created the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are.

12 Behold, he created Adam, and by Adam came the fall of man. And because of the fall of man came Jesus Christ, even the Father and the Son; and because of Jesus Christ came the redemption of man.

13 And because of the redemption of man, which came by Jesus Christ, they are brought back into the presence of the Lord; yea, this is wherein all men are redeemed, because the death of Christ bringeth to pass the resurrection, which bringeth to pass a redemption from an endless sleep, from which sleep all men shall be awakened by the power of God when the trump shall sound; and they shall come forth, both small and great, and all shall stand before his bar, being redeemed and loosed from this eternal band of death, which death is a temporal death.

14 And then cometh the judgment of the Holy One upon them; and then cometh the time that he that is filthy shall be filthy still; and he that is righteous shall be righteous still; he that is happy shall be happy still; and he that is unhappy shall be unhappy still.

15 And now, O all ye that have imagined up unto yourselves a god who can do no miracles, I would ask of you, have all these things passed, of which I have spoken? Has the end come yet? Behold I say unto you, Nay; and God has not ceased to be a God of miracles.

16 Behold, are not the things that God hath wrought marvelous in our eyes? Yea, and who can comprehend the marvelous works of God?

17 Who shall say that it was not a miracle that by his word the heaven and the earth should be; and by the power of his word man was created of the dust of the earth; and by the power of his word have miracles been wrought?

18 And who shall say that Jesus Christ did not do many mighty miracles? And there were many mighty miracles wrought by the hands of the apostles.

19 And if there were miracles wrought then, why has God ceased to be a God of miracles and yet be an unchangeable Being? And behold, I say unto you he changeth not; if so he would cease to be God; and he ceaseth not to be God, and is a God of miracles.

20 And the reason why he ceaseth to do miracles among the children of men is because that they dwindle in unbelief, and depart from the right way, and know not the God in whom they should trust.

21 Behold, I say unto you that whoso believeth in Christ, doubting nothing, whatsoever he shall ask the Father in the name of Christ it shall be granted him; and this promise is unto all, even unto the ends of the earth.

Ether 12:9-18

9 Wherefore, ye may also have hope, and be partakers of the gift, if ye will but have faith.

10 Behold it was by faith that they of old were called after the holy order of God.

11 Wherefore, by faith was the law of Moses given. But in the gift of his Son hath God prepared a more excellent way; and it is by faith that it hath been fulfilled.

12 For if there be no faith among the children of men God can do no miracle among them; wherefore, he showed not himself until after their faith.

13 Behold, it was the faith of Alma and Amulek that caused the prison to tumble to the earth.

14 Behold, it was the faith of Nephi and Lehi that wrought the change upon the Lamanites, that they were baptized with fire and with the Holy Ghost.

15 Behold, it was the faith of Ammon and his brethren which wrought so great a miracle among the Lamanites.

16 Yea, and even all they who wrought miracles wrought them by faith, even those who were before Christ and also those who were after.

17 And it was by faith that the three disciples obtained a promise that they should not taste of death; and they obtained not the promise until after their faith.

18 And neither at any time hath any wrought miracles until after their faith; wherefore they first believed in the Son of God.

It's also worth noting that miracles don't always have to be big grandiose events that everyone sees. There are far more miracles that are small and personal than there are big ones.

[Giant_Son]

Many religions claim to have examples of various miracles that point towards God, whether it's the various Marian apparitions in the Catholic Church or the Holy Fire miracle that apparently occurs every year for the Orthodox Church (and of course the most important miracle in these churches, the transformation of bread and wine into the body and blood of Jesus). Now, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has had miraculous events from its beginning, with the appearance of God the Father and Jesus Christ to Joseph Smith, and afterward various Biblical figures and angels. What is the Church's view on more recent miracles? Does the LDS Church have views on miracles? Is there phenomenon that occurs in the LDS Church that helps to point towards God, etc.? There are all these stories of weeping icons and statues, apparitions, Holy Fire, saintly intercession, etc. in these other churches, and I was wondering if there are similar stories and miracles that occur in the LDS Church.

Thanks!

There are a lot of miracles in early Church history - do some research about the dedication of the Kirtland Temple. Read here: Kirtland Temple - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia The Saints making it out of the Midwest alive is a miracle as is the colonization of the Salt Lake Valley. Temples currently dot the Earth and 19-21 year old missionaries are baptizing thousands of new converts every year. All miracles.

But more personally, every time I feel that I have been forgiven of my sins, is a great miracle. Praying about the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon and receiving a spiritual witness is another awesome miracle that is only experienced individually.

[Madriglace]

Miracles happen every day ... most are small personal ones that really never get heard about. One of my personal favorites is a story about early missionaries setting out with just a small amout on money and many weeks into their journey being over heard discussing their finances and how they still had exactly what they had left home with even though they had used their funds over and over to support themselves (wish I could remember the names ... will have to look it up). Many times in my life small miracles have made my faith and testimony so much stronger like 3 months of food storage lasting for a year when I was out of work or paying tithing and having funds for unexpected things just turn up.

I know for sure the most profound miracle in my life is the Atonement. the love that was shown to me takes my breath away.

[Maxel]

Some of the greatest miracles of the Church today are the same as were evident in the New Testament Church: the healing of the sick and afflicted, the gift of tongues, raising the dead, and more.

Personally, I've seen quite a few miracles in my life. My mother was blessed numerous times, and recovered from a chronic illness that her doctors said would be impossible to overcome. Just this last week, my sister's very sick pet turtle received a blessing and is eating again.

As far as amazing, publicized miracles, the Church itself is a miracle enough. Life itself is a miracle, wrought by the Atonement of Christ. There is no need in this Church for the loud proclamation of fantastic miracles on a regular basis. However, they do happen frequently.

[NeuroTypical]

Does the LDS Church have views on miracles? Is there phenomenon that occurs in the LDS Church that helps to point towards God, etc.?

Indeed there are. We believe the various gifts of the spirit that were present and promised in the NT are still here with us today. Here's a chapter from a book we use in all our meetinghouses in Sunday School. Briefly, we believe in, and many of us have witnessed, these:

The Gift of Tongues

The Gift of Interpretation of Tongues

The Gift of Translation

The Gift of Wisdom

The Gift of Knowledge

The Gift of Teaching Wisdom and Knowledge

The Gift of Knowing That Jesus Christ Is the Son of God

The Gift of Believing the Testimony of Others

The Gift of Prophecy

The Gift of Healing

The Gift of Working Miracles

The Gift of Faith

We tend not to talk too much about these. As the end of the linked chapter states:

The Lord said, “A commandment I give unto them, that they shall not boast themselves of these things, neither speak them before the world; for these things are given unto you for your profit and for salvation” (D&C 84:73). We must remember that spiritual gifts are sacred.

The Lord asks only one thing in return for giving us these gifts. He says, “Ye must give thanks unto God in the Spirit for whatsoever blessing ye are blessed with” (D&C 46:32).

LM