I'm Back!

I have just returned from a 2 year absence from the United States.

Where have I been?
India!

What was I doing?
Serving a two-year volunteer mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

What does that entail?
I taught Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Atheist, and others alike about the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ.

What's the Restored Gospel?
The Restored Gospel is the truth of God brought again to the Earth. Through a living prophet God has revealed knowledge of His plan and how we can receive Eternal Life. This is made possible through obedience by exercising faith, repenting of our sins, being baptized, receiving the Holy Ghost and obeying the commandments throughout our lives.

More?
God is our Father and has taught His children truth throughout the history of the Earth. From the beginning he has spoken to messengers called prophets to help us understand where we came from, the purpose of our life, and how we can receive happiness and perfection after this life. God sent his Son, Jesus, to make it possible for each of us to overcome sin and death. Jesus Christ was the most important part of God's plan. He also taught truth and authorized individuals called Apostles to continue His work. Unfortunately, many people rejected the apostles and killed them. The result was the creation of many different churches with different teachings. God is one and has one truth. The confusion of His teachings presents a difficult situation for those who are seeking truth.

In 1820 a young man living in New York named Joseph Smith began looking for the Lord's church. He became confused with the different teachings of the pastors and their different interpretations of the Bible. He one day read in the Book of James, chapter 1, verse 5 which says: "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not and it shall be given him." Understanding that only God had the answer he needed, he went to a forest and offered a prayer asking which church he should join. God answered his prayer.

God the Father and Jesus Christ, the Son of God, appeared to Joseph and directed him not to join any of the churches that were currently on the Earth. They were good people but did not have the full Gospel or the authority to administer the ordinances of the Gospel. Jesus chose Joseph to become a prophet through whom He would reveal his word as He did in the past. Jesus sent angels to give the authority called priesthood to Joseph so that he could perform baptisms and confirmations. As evidence that the Gospel had been restored God revealed a book called the Book of Mormon. It contained the record of the ancient Americans between 600BC and 400AD and followed this people as they received the words of God. If read and prayed over God will confirm the truth of it through the Spirit.

Knowledge that this actually happened gives us confidence that God lives and loves us. That he has not changed and continues to guide us in truth just as he did in the past. If we learn that these things are true then we have knowledge of the path to Eternal Life and can receive the peace and strength we need now with the promise of greater rewards in the world to come.

It completely changed my life for the better. I went to share that with those in India. I'm going to keep sharing it with people I meet.

Links?
www.mormon.org
www.lds.org

More on the way.