First, we believe in God the Eternal Father and in his Son Jesus Christ and in the Holy Ghost. We also believe that they are three separate and distinct personal beings (see Hebrews 1:1-3).

Second, we believe that Jesus Christ is our personal savior, that he is the Only Begotten Son of God our Heavenly Father in the flesh and that he came to the earth to establish his Church, introduce his gospel, and to pay the price for our sins and imperfections through his marvelous atonement.

Third, we believe that that atoning sacrifice has provided the way for all men and women everywhere, no matter what their faith, to be resurrected and to live forever, and that that atonement provides all of us the opportunity to live eternally with God our Heavenly Father in his Celestial Kingdom if we will live righteously, keep his commandments, participate in all the laws and ordinances of the gospel, and spend our lives in the service of others.

Fourth, we believe that after Christ bestowed his power and authority on his apostles (see Mark 16:15-17), those apostles went out into various parts of the world and preached the gospel. After the deaths of the apostles, the priesthood authority which they held was taken from the earth because of apostasy and the Church began to be divided into many different sects and factions.

Fifth, we believe that that same gospel which Christ established when he was on the earth was restored to the earth by God through the Prophet Joseph Smith. We believe that he saw the Father and the Son and was given direction by them as to how to reestablish his Church. He was visited by holy messengers, including John the Baptist and the resurrected apostles Peter, James, and John and was given that same authority which they held to preach the gospel and administer the ordinances of the Church. Today, at the head of the Church, there exists a prophet who leads and guides the Church according to the mind and will of the Lord. He is assisted by a quorum of twelve apostles. The Church today is organized exactly as Christ organized it originally while he was upon the earth.

Sixth, we believe that families can be sealed together through the eternities and that the marriage of men and women are not just for the period of their mortal lives such as we often hear in typical marriage ceremonies which are concluded with, "until death do you part." We believe that if husbands and wives are sealed together, in one of our holy temples, they will be married and sealed together not only for the period of their mortal lives but throughout all of the eternities and not only they but their children will be with them as well, all based upon the willingness to keep the commandments of God.

Seventh, we believe that all men and women who come to the earth will have the opportunity to hear and understand the gospel even if they must wait until after they die. Either men and women will hear the gospel message while upon the earth, or they will be living in such a situation that they never have the opportunity to hear it while in their mortal lives, but after they pass on to the spirit world they will be taught the gospel by Christ and his messengers there so that all may receive the gospel message and its blessings (see 1 Peter 3:18-19, 1 Peter 4:6).

There are many more things which I would like to share with you, but time and the space in this email do not allow. I would like to suggest that perhaps I could send two of our representatives from our Church to explain to you exactly what we believe and why. Once you've had an opportunity to hear that message, you'll know whether this is worth pursuing or not, and it will be a very important step for you to take as you try and determine precisely what the differences are between what we believe and what you have been taught over the years.

If you would like me to send those representatives, please email me again and give me your address and phone number so that I may have them call on you.

Sincerely,

Donny Osmond


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