This is an excellent reference, but perhaps we should go a little further. Look at John 13:9-11. Notice how Christ is praying for His apostles, and asks the Father to make them "one as we are one." What should we conclude from that? That Christ was asking His Father to make the eleven apostles one big conglomerate individual, or should we conclude what is obvious as we further read in that same chapter, verses 20-22? We find Christ praying to His Father for all who would ever believe on the words of the apostles. That includes you and me and all of the Christians who have ever lived. He again asked that the Father make all of us one. Does it not seem clear to you that He is speaking of a oneness of purpose, not of a oneness of body?

From there, I refer you to Acts 7:54-56. As you can see, this recounts the martyrdom of Stephen, who bears witness just before he dies that the heavens are opened to him, and that he sees God, our Heavenly Father, and Jesus Christ standing at His right hand. Paul bears further testimony in Heb. 1:1-3. Notice in the third verse it says that when Christ had finished His work on the earth, He took His place on the "right hand of the Majesty on High." It does not say that He became the Majesty on High; it says simply as we believe, that they are two separate and distinct beings. If that were not true, why would Christ be praying in the Garden of Gethsemane? Why wouldn’t He simply be speaking words of blessings upon His apostles and upon us, instead of invoking those blessings in our behalf to His Father?

If they are not separate and distinct individuals, what should we think about the baptism of Jesus in Matt. 3:16? When Jesus comes up out of the water after having been baptized, a voice from heaven calls down and all the people hear it audibly saying, "Behold, this is my Beloved Son in whom I am well pleased." The Holy Ghost descends from the heavens in the form of a dove and alights upon the shoulder of Jesus to show that previously prophesied sign to those who were at the baptism. The scriptures are clear on this question. In the final analysis, if you want to know for yourself, study these things prayerfully, with a sincere heart, with real intent, and then humbly pray and ask God to bless you that you may know for a surety. (See James 1:5-6.)

Your next question had to do with how we could possibly believe that Christ and Satan were brothers. Again, in order to understand that, you must first understand that we are the spirit children of our Heavenly Father; that is, literally, He created our spirits, and we lived with Him in a pre-mortal existence long before we came to this earth and became mortal beings. Not only were we there with our Heavenly Father, but so was Lucifer, who became Satan. He was angry because he was not chosen by our Father to be the Savior of all mankind, and he therefore rebelled and literally began a war with Heavenly Father while we were all in heaven together. The Book of Revelation speaks of this (see Rev. 12:7-9). As you can see, Lucifer, before he became Satan, lived along with us in that spiritual state with our Father as one of His spirit children.

You have said that you read the Book of Mormon when you were younger, but because your interest in the church was the Osmond brothers, you were never able to embrace the doctrine of the church. If you still have your Book of Mormon, I refer you to *Moroni 10:4-5.

"4) And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.
5) And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things." Here is the great truth for you to test so that you will know what we believe is true. It is similar to the scripture I referred to in James 1 earlier. This scripture simply promises that if you will return to the Book of Mormon and start reading it from its introductory pages, which would include the testimony of witnesses as to its authenticity and the story of Joseph Smith himself, and then carefully and prayerfully study the Book of Mormon, the Lord will bless you by the power of the Holy Ghost to know that it is true. ---------

(Bev's notes: *Moroni 10:4-5 is the scripture that finally brought me to my knees to ask Heavenly Father humbly, if the Book of Mormon were truly scripture. I knew that if it were, then all the LDS Missionaries had taught me was also true. I felt such a flood of warmth and love flood over me and through me, that I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that that was the Spirit speaking to me of truth. I know that if you really want to know if what you read in the Book of Mormon is true, and if you ask God sincerely, He WILL answer you, and you will know for yourself.) --------

Sincerely,

Donny Osmond


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