The Willie and Martin Handcart Companies in the History of Mormonism

There is an event in the History of Mormonism that people have heard about called the handcart companies. These Hand cart companies used handcarts due to a lack of money for wagons. There were 10, but I'm going to speak about the 4th and 5th companies. These are the Willie and Martin Handcart Companies. These Two companies both left in 1856 and suffered major trials. Greater than those of other companies. Each Company left at different times and arrives at different times. The Martin Handcart Company was named after Edward Martin. They arrive into Salt Lake on the 9th of November. They had a total of about 220 deaths in both companies. The Willie Handcart Company was named after James G. Willie. They had a harder time. They arrived on the 30th still of November, but they had over 125 deaths to their company. These Two companies had to fight terrible snowstorms that arrived early in the year and due to all the terrible environments events in this moment in the history of Mormonism they had who knows how many amputations of fingers, legs, arms, and whatever else. Just imagine how terrible it would have been like to live in this moment in time with them. They re-enact the handcart companies as a general in an event that happens every four years that teens ages 14-18 can go on with parents approval. It's a ton shorter of course, but they do have two companies that go a further distance to display this. They do this stuff in the summer instead. They just display the Willie and Martin by having them go an extra distance.

The 116 Lost Pages in the History of Mormonism

It was a sad day in the history of Mormonism with the event of having some of the transcript stolen. Back in July of 1828 Martin Harris, one of the participants in translating the Book of Mormon asked if he could bring the translated parts to show his wife. He wanted to do this because his wife was threatening to kick Martin out of the house due to finding disbelief that Martin was actually doing what he was claiming. Joseph was told by Jesus to not allow him. Martin tried a second time and again, got refused. On a third and final time Jesus finally let Martin bring the transcripts back to show select people. Martin sadly did not adhere to these conditions. As result the workings had gotten stolen. Another result of this is that Martin Harris lost the privilege to assist in translating the Book of Mormon and Joseph had the power revoked for a temporary amount of time. Once Joseph Smith had repented he received the Golden Plates, Urim and Thumum, and power to translate again. This time he had a man by the name of Oliver Cowdery to help him in the translating of the plates. There were 116 pages translated at this time which composed the Book of Lehi. Later after Joseph started translating the Plates again he was informed that he should proceed instead of start over due to the man that had stolen them had changed them and would proclaim that the ones the man was holding were the original and that Joseph had changed what was originally on there. This plan to antagonize the translation was planned from Lucifer. I would post the youtube clips here, but they're being uncooperative so here's hyperlinks, part-1, part-2.
Talk with others at Mormon.org/chat

The History of Mormonism starts with the son of a man named Joseph Smith. This son's name was Joseph Smith Jr. This male while 14 in the year of 1820 was Exploring a multitude of churches wondering which one of them was the actual true church. He just kept looking and looking and still was puzzled. As he examined them he found a scripture of James 1:5 from the New Testament. This hit him that if you lack wisdom ask God and He will tell you the answer to your question. 

So Joseph went deep into the Sacred Grove to pray to God to ask in which church was the true church. Joseph Smith was suddenly taken upon by a spirit preventing him from being able to speak and was going to lose consciousness when a pillar of light descended from the skies containing two personages. As these two arrived the power left and didn't bind him anymore. One of them called Joseph Smith by name and pointed to the other saying this is my Beloved Son, hear Him. God said this pointing to Jesus Christ. The vision continued and Joseph asked which of the churches were true. Jesus informed him that none were. That they were all wrong to Him and that the true gospel was to be restored to the Earth. Later Joseph was asked to restore the true Church of Jesus Christ, now known as Mormonism. 

Chat at Mormon.org/chat

Mormonism: Sacrament Meeting

A Talk In Sacrament Meeting

I explained Mormonism's Sacrament in another post. That was for the Sacrament portion itself. This post is going to be about Mormonism's full Sacrament meeting. It will vary on which Sunday it is though on what will happen sometimes. Like usually every first Sunday of each month It will be what Mormonism has a "fast Sunday" in case you haven't heard of what is contained in a fast Sunday it's of where people fast, or open with a prayer and then don't eat and have that fast go toward whatever they prayed for. Jesus went through a 40 day fast. Proceeding back to what happens on a Mormonism fast Sunday after the Sacrament is distributed people then have the opportunity to go up to the podium and bare their testimony, or basically share what they have a testimony of. The times that fast Sundays are either postponed, or done early is when the first week of the month is taken by either Mormonism's General Conference, or their Stake Conference. On normal Sundays you have talks given. It varies among wards again. In family Mormonism wards you usually have two youth as in 12-17 year old guys and girls give little 5 minute ideas. Then you have an adult man and an adult woman give about a 15 minute talk each. Sometimes you get a rest hymn, or a musical number. Around the holidays you usually get the ward choir for the musical number. I'm in mine. I actually joined mine on the spot. There was a guy I knew from my family ward previously and he was the only male so I had to join him so that he wasn't alone. I did fail to mention a couple other things that happen. That's that there are opening and closing hymns that play and the congregation sings to at the beginning and and of Sacrament meeting. Then the other item I failed to mention also applies to the individual Sacrament portion as well. It's that there's another hymn that's played and sang to while the Sacrament bread is being broken. Then at the beginning of Sacrament meeting Mormonism matters are brought to attention containing items of the ward and stake.
As usual Mormon.org/chat

Mormonism: Sacrament

The true Sacrament was restored through Mormonism. I will speak on how Mormonism administers the Sacrament though. About each male's duty. An item that is needed to be known before explaining is that yes, the people messing around with giving the Sacrament do have to be guys of Mormonism. It requires the Priesthood and its duties. You usually have young guys participating. You do have a minimum age of course though. This age is of 12. I'll start will the highest age of the Aaronic Priesthood. This is The Priests with the ages of 16+. I mention all of this age stuff and duties as well in my Priesthood section. Their duty in the Sacrament is to brake the bread and bless the Sacrament. An item in this is that they can't have the same person do both prayers. Then also the Prayers for each has to be said exact. If screwed up it needs to be said again. I had that flaw my first time. I had to do it three times. I felt so embarrassed. Due to that I have too much fear. Then last week there was one at my ward that had to repeat it once. At that he just corrected it and that's fine as long as it's during.
The next down in age is for the Teachers. They have the duty to prepare the Sacrament for Mormonism. This of course happens before people arrive. I mean preparing in the manner of filling the trays with cups of water and pieces of bread to be blessed and putting the trays on the table to be blessed during the meeting itself. I used to have the duty of doing this even though I am an Elder. I did it even when I was an Elder due to being in a singles ward. Now there has been Priest, or those without the Melchizedek Priesthood come so now it is more closer of their duty. I came one day and they didn't really let me get in to help. I still keep the job of another level of the Aaronic I will mention later. Another job of the teachers is I guess to guard the doors is a way to phrase it. They close the doors of the Chapel room itself so that others can't get in until the Sacrament portion of the meeting is over. Then also to make sure that people/kids don't get out due to unimportant reasons that can wait until after the Sacrament is over.

Now is when I will speak of the Deacon's duty in the Sacrament. The Deacon's duty is to pass it around to those of Mormonism that are worthy to take it and renew their baptismal covenants. It is so sad to see someone nto partake of the Sacrament when they are old enough and a member of Mormonism. That means that they have done something that is a greater sin that they need to repent of. This is the duty I was mentioning previous that I still do constantly. I pass the Sacrament. Really it's something that's supposed to vary among people due to it being in a singles ward, but I guess guys just got enough of it while they were a deacon. I'm the one that usually gives to the Bishop of my ward. You have to ensure that you give it to the Bishop first then the 1st counselor and then the 2nd counselor. Unless you have the Stake President attending. Then you have him. I have to admit I don't know what would happen to have a Quorum of the 70 with you. I've had that happen while I was at my family ward, but I wasn't one to pass at that moment. An item is that the others must wait until the Bishop/Stake President partake of it before you let others. Then once everyone has had a chance you then line up in different spots depending on how your ward chooses and then once the Priests, or other people blessing stand up then you come back to them to hand the current item back for the water, or to end.
You can chat with those of Mormonism for info if you want to. Just go to Mormon.org/chat

Choosing Jesus: Mormonism

Mormonism believes that Jesus Christ was chosen to come before we came to Earth through a select event. This event that Mormonism believes in is referred to as the war in Heaven. In this event Go the Father put forth his plans for creating the Earth. God did announce that he would need someone to go down and suffer for all mankind to be able to return with Him again. At this thought you had two beings to offer. You had Jesus Christ and you had another by the title of Lucifer. Each of them had select requirements though. Jesus was willing to go and let God take credit for everything. Jesus would let everyone choose for themselves if they wanted to go good, or bad. That way you wouldn't be guaranteed to live with God again, but then you're truly tested. I make mention of the "truly tested" deal due to the fact that Lucifer would make it so no one could sin. They wouldn't know right from wrong since you wouldn't be able to do wrong. Lucifer did have another requirement to being the one for coming down and suffering. This is a matter of not God having the credit for everything, but nothing. Instead Lucifer himself would receive the credit for everything that happened. As people can tell Jesus had won. These results were a 2:1 ratio. Basically that 2/3 chose to have Jesus Christ come and 1/3 chose Lucifer to come and die. As a result of his loss Lucifer and his 1/3 were cast out and will not receive bodies for eternal life. Lucifer is now known as Satan, or the Devil. 

Chat at Mormon.org/chat

The Plan of Salvation in Mormonism

Mormonism has the belief of having a pre-earth life as a lot of people have heard, but I what to talk about later with how people lost their memory once they got to the earth. This whole thing that I am going to talk about is the Plan of Salvation. This little episode in which you forget stuff is referred to as the veil. Here you get born to receive a body and are tested. Varying on how you do here is where you end up once you die here. Once you die you are then sent, varying among how you acted, to either what Mormonism refers to as Spirit Prison and Spirit Paradise. We will remain in these areas until Jesus Christ Comes another time. You know of how Mormonism prosolites the Jesus will comes again. At this point people will be brought to an event that's referred to as the final judgement. With this it decided upon your doings of the Earth and after. With your judgement you are decided to go into one of three levels of descending order. Celestial Kingdom, Terrestrial Kingdom, and Telestial Kingdom. An easy way to remember it is basically Sea turtle. Sea, Celestial, tur, Terrestrial, tle, Telestial. That's just the amount of happiness of descending. The Telestial, or least pleasant Kingdom is going to be about as happy as Earth. There is one last spot that isn't enjoyable period. This place is said to have weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth. This sad spot is known as outer darkness. You are alone for all eternity. No one can visit you. It's the hardest to get here though. Another fact is that the Celestial Kingdom is split into three more degrees. On the highest of those you do have to be a part of Mormonism though. It's due to having to be married in a temple. Those of the higher Kingdoms are able to visit those of the lesser Kingdoms. Again, just not outer darkness.
Mormon.org/chat

Mormonism's General Beliefs

I am going to talk about some of Mormonism's beliefs. One of which is going to be what we call the scriptures. Mormonism has 4 sources for scripture. Three of them are translated. Those are the Book of Mormon, the King James format of the Holy Bible, and the final has one part that isn't translated, but called the Pearl of Great Price. The Pearl of Great Price contains some of Moses and Abraham with being the translated and Joseph Smith history for the record of the beginning of Mormonism, the first vision. The 4th that was just written was the records of the creation of Mormonism. 

In Mormonism there's 2 levels of the Priesthood, power of God. There is the lesser, priesthood of Aaron, and the higher priesthood, Melchizedek. It goes to worthy males ages 12+. Then we have Bishops, Patriarchs, Stake Presidents, Apostles and a Prophet. These are positions of the higher priesthood. 

Mormonism has the belief of the existence of a God, Jesus Christ, and a Holy Ghost. A comparison of Mormonism to other Christian religions is that we believe that those three are three separate beings. They still act as one, but technically separate. Also that there was a debate referred to as the war in heaven. This is where we decided whether Jesus, or Lucifer (aka: Satin) would come and die to atone for our sins. 

Mormonism got moved twice due to their beliefs. Starting with Kirtland Ohio, evacuated to Navuu, then pushed to Utah. Before Mormonism got pushed to Utah Joseph Smith and his brother were martyred. The people that traveled to Utah were known as the pioneers. They finally got to Utah in the year 1847

Another item to Mormonism is of having what is referred to as the Plan of Salvation. It is posted to the left. In it you had a pre-mortal life leading to here. After you die you go to either spirit paradise (Heaven), or spirit prison (Hell). That is only for a temporary amount of time. It then goes onto the final stage once Jesus Christ comes a second time. At that moment varying on your doings in the post-mortal state you get sent to the Telestial Kingdom, Terestrial Kingdom, Celestial Kingdom, or Outer Darkness. It is the hardest thing to get into Outer Darkness.

For more questions got to Mormon.org/chat

What's this Word of Wisdom Mormonism Talks About?

So, some of you wonder what Mormonism refers to when they say the Word of Wisdom. What is the Word of Wisdom? It is a proclamation that was given to Joseph Smith back in 1833. This was given as protection previous of learning about the problems the items in it give. If you want to go into even more detail in which it came out, it was the 27th of February in 1833. Where was it given? I can answer that with Kirtland Ohio.

One of the parts of the Word of Wisdom is having no alcohol. This contains ingesting any format of alcohol. Beer gone, wine gone, rum gone, and other formats. Mormonism protects you from many side effects in this manner such as burning money, loosing memories (and more than just the night), feeling nauseous, and items to ruin your life. I've heard that alcohol tastes nasty as well.

Tobacco is another item that Mormonism has you not do through the Word of Wisdom. Tobacco in the format of cigarettes cigars will most likely give you lung cancer, can give you heart attacks, blood clots in other areas and such. There are people in which lost their vocal ability due to smoking. Then chewing tobacco will affect you in the mouth. It can give you gum cancer. They too waste your money. 

To end I will speak of the Word of Wisdom's diversion from caffeine. Those of Mormonism are asked to not intake caffeine as a general rather than just coffee types. We are asked to stay away from soft drinks, energy drinks, and anything else that contains caffeine as well. The only thing we're able to have since technically it has the smallest amount is chocolate. A majority of energy drinks actually has more caffeine than the average coffee. It has been proven that with too much caffeine it causes poor side effects and can get addicted to it. The center picture of the caffeine portion lists the side effects to it. 

To end Mormonism has the great advisory of the Word of Wisdom. Go ahead and talk about more at Mormon.org/chat

The Priesthood in Mormonsim

Mormonism has the authority of the power of God known as the Priesthood. There's two types with the Aaronic and Melchizedek. If you're a worthy Mormon you get the opportunity of wielding the Priesthood. In Mormonism it starts at the age of 12 with the Aaronic Priesthood. Mormonism refers to these 12 and 13 year old males as Deacons. At this age you serve the Sacrament to people during what is called Sacrament meeting. Once you turn 14 you become the Mormonism format of Teacher. This you gain the responsibility of doing what is called home teaching. In this process you get paired up with another male with a format of the Priesthood to visit families and keep up to date with them and deliver a select message. At the age of 16+ you become Mormonism's Priest. Still of the Aaronic Priesthood. At that you bless the Sacrament bread and water. You also get the ability to only baptize people. I mention "only" due to also having the gift of the Holy Ghost to give, but you're unable to give that unless you hold the authority of the Melchizedek Priesthood. One of my friends had the chance to do that to one of his nephews. when he told me that I was surprised since I didn't know that then. I was happy for him as well. You have to be at least age 18 to receive the Melchizedek Priesthood authority. I hold this authority. Once you receive it you are now an Elder. That is when you are able to give the gift of the Holy Ghost. That's not the only thing you're able to do now. You're also able to give blessings in the form of helping people to recover sort of like Jesus. It's not as grand as he did, but helping like the ill to become better, but not instantaneously. It's more of when they're quite ill, or another format of infliction. Another format of blessing you are able to give is to give/ participate in a baby blessing. I got to participate in my nephew's baby blessing due to holding the authority of the Melchizedek Priesthood. Mormonism then has a higher level of being a High Priest. This is required to be a Bishop, Stake President, Patriarch, part of the Quorum of the Seventy, Quorum of the Twelve, or one of the men from the First Presidency. Mormonism has what is called wards and the Bishop is the leader of that group. It is temporary. The Stake President is a leader as well, but this time what Mormonism calls a stake, or a perimeter of wards. A Patriarch in Mormonism is one that gives a select format of blessings that only those can give. Those blessings can only be given once to each person. Both of those are also a position in which you can be released. Then final one that you can be released from is being part of the Quorum of the Seventy. This is a higher position to be in. Then starting with the ones that the only way you are released is by death. The first is being part of the Quorum of the Twelve. These are ones that are to be the Prophet of Mormonism. The current are David A. Bednar, M. Russel Ballard, Boydd K. Packer, Russel M. Neilson, D. Todd Christopherson, David A. Cook, L. Tom Perry, Dallin H. Oaks, Richard G. Scott, Robert D. Hales. Jeffery R. Holland, and Neil L. Anderson. The First Presidency contains Thomas S. Monson as the Prophet and the President of Mormonism. Our first counselor is Henry B. Eyring and second counselor is Dieter F. Uchtdorf. 

You can find more from people at Mormon.org/chat