1) Is there a God in Heaven who is the Father of our spirits and are we here to strive to emulate him? (see Acts 17:29, Romans 8:16-17, Hebrews 12:9)

Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. (Matthew 5:48)

2) Is Jesus Christ his only begotten son of God who created the world (see Hebrews 1:1-3 and John 1:1-5) and is he our redeemer or in other words, did he suffer and die to bring about the resurrection and forgiveness of sin? (see 1 Corinthians 15:21-22; John 3:16; Ephesians 1:7, Colossians 1:14)

3) What must we do to receive forgiveness of our sins through his atoning sacrifice and to dwell with him and the Father in his Kingdom eternally .

I am going to post some of the passages that answer this third question:

"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." ( John 14:6)

13 ¶ Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: 14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it... 21 ¶ Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. (Matthew 7:13 - 14; 21)

Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. (John 3:5)

On the day of Pentecost, many who listened to Peter were touched in their hearts and ask: " 37 ...Men and brethren, what shall we do? 38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. (Acts 2:37 - 38)

Then to your question: "How does one receive the Holy Ghost?"

The scripture makes it clear that the Gift of the Holy Ghost is given by the laying on of hands of one who has authority act in behalf of Jesus Christ.

16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. (John 15:16)

This passage emphasises that need for authority:

14 Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John: 15 Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: 16 (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) 17 Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost. 18 And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, 19 Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost. 20 But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. (Acts 8:14 - 20)

The true priesthood authority is also required for a baptism that is acceptable to qualify for the Kingdom of God. This is emphasized in the following passage where Paul found a group who claimed to have been baptized but knew nothing of the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost. Paul knowing that John always promised that there would be those who would follow to administer the Holy Ghost, realized they had not been baptized by those with true authority: 1 AND it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples, 2 He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. 3 And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism. 4 Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. 5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; (Acts 19:1 - 6)

May I declare to you in a degree of boldness, that the true authority was lost from the earth after the death of the apostles and John's banishment to the Isle of Patmos which occurred around 96 AD. We forthrightly claim that this authority was restored to the earth May 15, 1829, when the young prophet, Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery who was with him received a visitation from none other that the resurrected John the Baptist. John ordained both and instructed them on the proper mode of baptism (immersion). Within a few weeks, Peter, James and John also appeared and ordained the same two with the Melchisedec Order of Priesthood authority which had the keys to bestow the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands.

These two levels of priesthood are mentioned in the following passages with an emphasis that no one can take the authority upon themselves:

4 And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron. 5 So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee. 6 As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. (Hebrews 5:4 - 6)

11 If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron? (Hebrews 7:11)

John the Baptist held the Levitical priesthood or the priesthood after the order of Aaron and Christ and Peter, James and John held the priesthood after the order of Melchisedec . The religion professors of today cannot trace their authority back to any of these orders, nor am I aware of any that claim to hold the priesthoods after the order of Aaron or of Melchisedec. There is one place, however, that these priesthood orders exist and that is in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints which is the Church that was organized under the personal direction of Jesus Christ and through heavenly messengers such as I have mentioned.

As you are searching, I want you to know of my deep conviction that this latter-day restoration took place in fulfillment of the scripture as in the following passage:

19 ¶ Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; 20 And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: 21 Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began. (Acts 3:19 - 21)

How do I have such a deep conviction? It is by precisely what you seek, the power of the Holy Ghost.

15 ¶ If ye love me, keep my commandments. 16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you... 26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. ( John 14:15-17;26)

9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. 10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. 11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. 13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. (1 Corinthians 2:9 - 14)

As I have said before, I began my serious search for myself when sixteen years old. I read the scriptures including the Book of Mormon which contains the following promise:

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. (Book of Mormon | Moroni 10:4 - 5)

I prayed with real intent and have received and continue to receive a witness of the truth which has sustained me through my life. The promise is to all:

5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. (James 1:5 - 6)

7 ¶ Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: (Matthew 7:7)

I believe you have been led this far and I hope you will continue in your search for the truth and with it the peace and assurance you seek. Once you have found the true gospel in the Lord's Church, you can receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands by those with true authority. The Holy Ghost (or his influence, I should say) will then be your constant companion as long as you are living worthy of that great blessing.

Please let me know if I can help further.

Sincerely,

Donny Osmond


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