In 1842 John Wentworth, the editor of a newspaper in Chicago, Illinois, asked Joseph Smith about the beliefs and history of the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The prophet responded by writing what has become known as the Wentworth Letter. In this correspondence he told Mr. Wentworth about the First Vision, how he received and translated the gold plates, and he also described the organization and history of the church and their subsequent persecution. At the end of his letter the prophet summarized the basic beliefs of the church. This list has become known as the Articles of Faith.
The thirteenth Article of Faith states the following,
“ “We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul—We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.””
What was the admonition of Paul? It is found in his epistle to the Philippians and was written while he was imprisoned in Rome.
““Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.””
As Latter-day Saints, “we believe all things, we hope all things. … If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.”
What do you believe that will help you to move closer to the Savior? What do you hope for? What are the virtuous, lovely, or praiseworthy things you seek after? A partial list for me includes the temple, making and keeping covenants, having a Christ centered home which provides our family refuge from the storms of worldly influence.
What attributes of the Savior are you striving to develop?
Certainly faith, hope, charity, and humility should be on all of our lists.
I have a testimony that the time will come when “Christ will reign personally upon the earth.”
We do not know the precise time of the Second Coming of the Savior, but we do know that we are living in the latter days and are closer to the Second Coming than in 1831 when the Lord admonished the elders of the Church to “labor … in my vineyard for the last time—for the last time call upon the inhabitants of the earth. … For the great Millennium, of which I have spoken by the mouth of my servants, shall come.”
““The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.””
This is our day, the day in which we are to perform our labors. We each have much to accomplish in preparation to meet the Savior. Let us all resolve to be a little more faithful, a little more charitable, and a little more patient with one another. Let us resolve to be good stewards of the talents we have been blessed with and to be more obedient to the light and truth we have received. Together let us prepare for the second coming of our Lord and Savior.
Note: Mr. Wentworth’s request was prompted by a friend of his, Mr. Barstow who was writing a history of New Hampshire. The Articles of Faith were never published in Barstow’s history of New Hampshire or in Wentworth’s newspaper, but they were published by a Church newspaper in 1842. In 1880 members of the Church at the October general conference raised their hands in common consent to accept the Articles of Faith as scripture. They are now included as scripture in the Pearl of Great Price.