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Your question 1. Is it true that the Mormon church believes that Jesus only died for some of their sins but not all? If so, what sins were not included?
Answer:
Jesus suffered and died to overcome two kinds of death.
a) Physical death, which is the separation of our body and our spirit, was brought about by Adam and Eve partaking of the forbidden fruit and is overcome for all mankind through the resurrection .
20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.
21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. (1 Corinthians 15:20 - 22)
b) Spiritual death, which is the separation of us from our Heavenly Father, resulted intially from Adam and Eve's transgression for which they were cast from the garden and from the presence of God. The eternal continuation of our spiritual death is determined for each of us by our own faith in Jesus Christ and our willingness to repent of our sins, be baptized for the remission of our sins and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands of those with the true priesthood authority (see John 3:5; Acts 2:38and Acts 8:15-29)
Christ's atoning sacrifice, his suffering and death will answer for our sins, if we thus follow him, and we will overcome spiritual death and dwell with the Father and the Son in the Kingdom of God forever.
There are those who pervert this true gospel by saying all we need is to have faith or to confess Christ, but the content of the Holy Scriptures teaches otherwise. We must also follow Jesus and his gospel to receive forgiveness for all of our sins and be worthy to dwell in the presence of God and thus overcome spiritual death.
Your question 2. Why do the Mormons believe African Americans are cursed by satan and what do you base that on?
Answer: No, we do not believe that they were cursed by Satan. There has been confusion because the priesthood was withheld for a time from the Blacks, for reasons and timing of which, only the Lord knows, as he also anciently restricted the priesthood from anyone but those of the Levite Tribe of Israel and specifically the sons of Levi. I am very happy that today, my friends who are African American have every priveledge in our Church that anyone has, and to know that one of the fastest areas of growth in the Church is in Africa.
Your question 3. What part does education play in your faith?
Answer: Education is a high priority in our church. The Church is the sponsor of several Universities and its Brigham Young University is the largest private university in the world. We have a belief that states: The glory of God is intelligence, or, in other words, light and truth. (Doctrine and Covenants | Section 93:36) Whatever principle of intelligence we attain unto in this life, it will rise with us in the resurrection. And if a person gains more knowledge and intelligence in this life through his diligence and obedience than another, he will have so much the advantage in the world to come. (Doctrine and Covenants | Section 130:18 - 19)
Your question 4. I have been researching Joseph Smith's death. I am not clear on how and why he died? Can you explain?
Answer: Here is what was written by those who served with him at the time of his death:
1. TO seal the testimony of this book and the Book of Mormon, we announce the martyrdom of Joseph Smith the Prophet, and Hyrum Smith the Patriarch. They were shot in Carthage jail, on the 27th of June, 1844, about five o'clock p.m., by an armed mob—painted black—of from 150 to 200 persons. Hyrum was shot first and fell calmly, exclaiming: I am a dead man! Joseph leaped from the window, and was shot dead in the attempt, exclaiming: O Lord my God! They were both shot after they were dead, in a brutal manner, and both received four balls.
2. John Taylor and Willard Richards, two of the Twelve, were the only persons in the room at the time; the former was wounded in a savage manner with four balls, but has since recovered; the latter, through the providence of God, escaped, without even a hole in his robe.
3. Joseph Smith, the Prophet and Seer of the Lord, has done more, save Jesus only, for the salvation of men in this world, than any other man that ever lived in it. In the short space of twenty years, he has brought forth the Book of Mormon, which he translated by the gift and power of God, and has been the means of publishing it on two continents; has sent the fulness of the everlasting gospel, which it contained, to the four quarters of the earth; has brought forth the revelations and commandments which compose this book of Doctrine and Covenants, and many other wise documents and instructions for the benefit of the children of men; gathered many thousands of the Latter-day Saints, founded a great city, and left a fame and name that cannot be slain. He lived great, and he died great in the eyes of God and his people; and like most of the Lord's anointed in ancient times, has sealed his mission and his works with his own blood; and so has his brother Hyrum. In life they were not divided, and in death they were not separated!
4. When Joseph went to Carthage to deliver himself up to the pretended requirements of the law, two or three days previous to his assassination, he said: "I am going like a lamb to the slaughter; but I am calm as a summer's morning; I have a conscience void of offense towards God, and towards all men. I SHALL DIE INNOCENT, AND IT SHALL YET BE SAID OF ME—HE WAS MURDERED IN COLD BLOOD."—The same morning, after Hyrum had made ready to go—shall it be said to the slaughter? yes, for so it was—he read the following paragraph, near the close of the twelfth chapter of Ether, in the Book of Mormon, and turned down the leaf upon it:
5. And it came to pass that I prayed unto the Lord that he would give unto the Gentiles grace, that they might have charity. And it came to pass that the Lord said unto me: If they have not charity it mattereth not unto thee, thou hast been faithful; wherefore thy garments shall be made clean. And because thou hast seen thy weakness, thou shalt be made strong, even unto the sitting down in the place which I have prepared in the mansions of my Father. And now I . . . bid farewell unto the Gentiles; yea, and also unto my brethren whom I love, until we shall meet before the judgment–seat of Christ, where all men shall know that my garments are not spotted with your blood. The testators are now dead, and their testament is in force.
6. Hyrum Smith was forty–four years old in February, 1844, and Joseph Smith was thirty–eight in December, 1843; and henceforward their names will be classed among the martyrs of religion; and the reader in every nation will be reminded that the Book of Mormon, and this book of Doctrine and Covenants of the church, cost the best blood of the nineteenth century to bring them forth for the salvation of a ruined world; and that if the fire can scathe a green tree for the glory of God, how easy it will burn up the dry trees to purify the vineyard of corruption. They lived for glory; they died for glory; and glory is their eternal reward. From age to age shall their names go down to posterity as gems for the sanctified.
7. They were innocent of any crime, as they had often been proved before, and were only confined in jail by the conspiracy of traitors and wicked men; and their innocent blood on the floor of Carthage jail is a broad seal affixed to "Mormonism" that cannot be rejected by any court on earth, and their innocent blood on the escutcheon of the State of Illinois, with the broken faith of the State as pledged by the governor, is a witness to the truth of the everlasting gospel that all the world cannot impeach; and their innocent blood on the banner of liberty, and on the magna charta of the United States, is an ambassador for the religion of Jesus Christ, that will touch the hearts of honest men among all nations; and their innocent blood, with the innocent blood of all the martyrs under the altar that John saw, will cry unto the Lord of Hosts till he avenges that blood on the earth. Amen.
(Doctrine and Covenants | Section 135 :1 - 7)
Thank you for these great questions. Let me know if you have any other questions.
Sincerely,
Donny Osmond
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