Doctrine and Covenants 1:37-38

Can anyone guess which language this is?  (Don't cheat and use something like Google Translate)
Here it is in English:

Search these commandments, for they are true and faithful, and the prophecies and promises which are in them shall all be fulfilled.
What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, and I excuse not myself; and though the heavens and the earth pass away, my word shall not pass away, but shall all be fulfilled, whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same. [D&C 1:37-38]

It's a great scripture that I sent to a gentleman and a Saint in Slovenia, who chose despite great opposition from family and friends to follow the voice of the prophets and be baptized into Christ's reestablished Church.

Christ's Church

Many people today try to argue that Jesus Christ did not establish a church and was merely a great philosopher.  As I help individuals on Mormon.org chat learn about the Lord's reestablished church, it then is often called into question whether he established a church to begin with.
First of all, we learn from the word Christ's apostles chose to use when they translated Christ's teachings to find out something about Christ's Church.  I've learned that in the New Testament, they described it with the word ekklesia.  According to Strong's Bible Concordance, the word ekklesia, means "a calling out, i.e. (concretely) a popular meeting, especially a religious congregation (Jewish synagogue, or Christian community of members on earth or saints in heaven or both):--assembly, church."
It is apparent from this definition, that ekklesia or church in the New Testament was the congregation, assembly or community itself, rather than an administration or building.  That community is lead by Christ [Eph 1:22] and he set up and organized leaders over it:

And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; [Eph 4:11-14]

As stated in those verses, those leaders and the organization are there to help us become perfect.  It's a place to teach others [1 Cor 14:19] and care for the needy [1 Tim 5:16].  As long as we are imperfect and struggle with our weaknesses we will still need that organization Christ established to help us through it.
The Church of Christ, guided by his prophets and apostles, properly answers inquiries about the doctrine in a lawful assembly (Acts 19:39), or General Conference as we call it today. It offers strength and support to families and individuals.
Throughout the New Testament, and in his church today, there are many examples that the church is not exactly what many imagine the word church to mean.  Christ's church is a well-organized body of his followers.  I've been in places where the reestablished church was just a few Saints worshiping together in a home or office building.  Despite the circumstances, there was authority, and modern directions passed down from Jesus Christ through his modern Apostles, for administering his sacrament and uplifting one another.

Audia's Baptism

Not long ago, Audia shared her testimony on this blog before she was baptized.  This last weekend, Audia was baptized after several months of preparation.  I asked her for her testimony again to share on this blog.

It's been a couple of days since I was baptized, and I've felt incredible and amazing.  Everyone at church has been so happy for me that I made a great choice.  When I got baptized, it was a dream come true.  That dream was finding a church that liked me and I liked them.  I have no trouble at all with paying attention and focusing like my other church.  I had trouble with that every  day. I look forward to church eagerly.  I really enjoy it so much I'm not leaving. I found where I belong.  

Audia and Elder Kump dressed up for the baptism.

Since I've been going, I can't stop smiling.  I am so amazed on how much I've changed.   Whenever I leave, I leave knowing things I never knew before, and I love it.  There is no way, no how, that I'm leaving this church now that I'm a member.  I'm glad I did that research and gave it a chance. I thought I would have to go from church-to-church looking for the one but not in this case.  It feels good knowing I have true friends that I love, and they love me and care about me. I've never felt so loved.  I never realized I have so many friends, and I hope these feelings I've experienced never end.

First chance or last chance.

In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints or Mormon Church we have the opportunity to express our feelings, faith, and convictions at an open mike during services of the first Sunday of each month.  This is part of what we call Fast Sunday.  For years while growing up in the Church, I've watched members line up behind the pulpit to share their feelings about Christ's Gospel, Church, scriptures, their family and so forth.  The line is usually the longest for the first Sunday in December.  There's nothing particularly wrong with shooting for one last chance to offer a testimony to uplift and strengthen the congregation.  In fact, I find it wonderful that many value that last chance to stand up and express their feelings to fellow followers, many of whom just might need that extra encouragement to continue enduring to the end with faith in Christ.
There are some who line up because they haven't taken the chance to share their testimony yet during the year even outside of testimony meetings.  Much more is that there are some who miss even that last chance because they feel they do not want to push the meeting on too long.  Our convictions about our faith are something that we should be sharing with friends, family, and acquaintances openly throughout the year, and not even wait until we have an open pulpit at church, especially not the last chance at an open pulpit.

To me the first chance to offer to my testimony during the year is much more valuable.  Worry that my testimony hadn't been offered to my ward or congregation that year is easily avoided by offering it the first of the year.  I didn't wait until Fast Sunday to offer it either.  Of course it was easy to be prepared to offer my testimony yesterday, because I volunteer full time as a missionary.  However, you don't have to be a missionary to make a chance to share your testimony with someone.
Of course you don't need to be a member of the church to go up to the pulpit on the first Sunday of the month after it has been opened to the congregation by the Bishop.  Visitors are welcome in our Sunday meetings and that welcome includes the invitation to come up and share feelings about faith and the Savior.
To find one of our churches near you, visit maps.lds.org.  If you're unsure what you might offer in your testimony, feel free to chat with a missionary on Mormon.org.

Preparing for conference

This is an email I sent to an investigator to help her prepare for the General Conference broadcast of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints last April.  I hope it can help you prepare for conference too.

Cassia's Baptism

My second Sunday here in Provo, we went to church with the singles ward across the street. They were having a "munch and mingle" for the single members after church. We went to get to know the ward members better, and spread the word more about Mormon.org.

One of the members told us she brought a friend to visit and then had to run off to take care of something. Elder Spencer and I went to go introduce ourselves to her visiting friend, and after following Cassia around for a minute, caught on that she didn't know English. After talking to Cassia with her friend to interpret, she agreed to hear about the Book of Mormon and the restoration right after the 'munch and mingle'...