Jan

31

Na revista Época recentemente foi publicada uma reportagem sobre a Igreja de Jesus Cristo dos Santos dos Ultimos Dias (Igreja Mormon).

(Para ler a reportagem completa: O Credo dos Convertidos -Mormons)

É claro que gostaríamos que certas coisas fossem escritas de outra maneira, mas esta reportagem pelo menos esclarece certos pontos da doutrina e praticas da Igreja Mormon.

Estas boas reportagens contribuem para que a sociedade esteja mais preparada para a mensagem do evangelho. Similarmente nos podemos preparar a sociedade brasileira ou portuguesa usando a internet de maneira mais eficaz, como por exemplo criando blogs onde podemos escrever sobre nossos testemunhos e o que pensamos de varios assuntos relacionados com a Igreja. Com o passar do tempo sempre mais pessoas irão usar a internet para achar informações sobre a Igreja, especialmente depois de ter falado com os missionarios.

Criar um blog e’ muito facil e nao custa nada. Para mais informações podem visitar esta pagina:

Foundação para o Melhor-Escrever um mormon blog

Jan

29

Some people say that DNA studies conclude that the Book of Mormon can’t be what it claims to be. This is based on the false premise that the Book of Mormon is the complete history of all people who lived in the Americas. Jill Larsen just posted a great blog about this topic at The Book of Mormon and DNA.

Jill’s blog explains that the Book of Mormon is only a partial history of a few specific groups of people in the Americas; the Book of Mormon shows that other peoples also inhabited the Americas at the same time. Therefore, the entire basis of the argument against the Book of Mormon is null and void. The Book of Mormon never claims to include the entire history of all inhabitants of the Americas.
For more information about the Book of Mormon and DNA, refer to:

Jan

25

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon Church) is working in partnership with several organizations, including the UNICEF and the American Red Cross, to help eradicate measles in Africa.

UNICEF announced last week that the combined efforts of several organizations have led to a 60 percent drop in deaths since 1999: this percentage translates into 1,000 children a day who do not die from measles.

The Church became involved in the measles campaign in 2003. It has since included the program as one of the Church’s major humanitarian initiatives, along with clean water projects, wheelchair distribution, neonatal resuscitation training and vision treatment training.

There are some people around the world that think that the missionaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon Church) only try to convert people to become members of the Mormon Church but that the Church is not involved in other forms of assistance or Christian help.

This couldn’t be farther from the truth, but for a long time the Church has been slow to publicize its humanitarian efforts, perhaps because of what it is written in Matthew 6: “Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.”

However, and this is my personal opinion and I don’t speak for the Mormon Church, this is mostly true for individuals, since salvation and recompense it is mostly a personal matter and organizations are not “saved” or “rewarded” as individuals.

On the other hand, the Church has the mandate of preaching the Gospel to all people and in order to do it needs to be well known around the world. So, not for personal aggrandizement, but to better accomplish its mission the Church is perhaps now publicizing a little more its humanitarian efforts.

See full article about the Church efforts to eradicate measles in Africa

Jan

23

elder_tom_perry.jpg

“President Hinckley added to his powerful, emotional witness a list of concerns for the future. One of his concerns particularly stuck in my mind. His worry was that with the great growth of the Church throughout the world, it would become increasingly difficult for the Apostles to reach all the members of the Church and personally admonish them to live the gospel. Thus, the future would bring greater reliance on technology to carry the gospel message to the worldwide Church.” (Elder L. Tom Perry, Ensign, May 2000)

It seems to me that not only will be more difficult for the Apostles to reach all the members of the Church, but it will be almost impossible to reach all the people who live on the earth with the message of the Restored Gospel. Our testimonies need to be heard by millions and I have no doubt that the Internet is one of the most powerful way to do it. People will still need to talk with the missionaries of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon Church) and being baptized but many people may receive their testimony by reading good things on the Internet and this will speed up the work and allow those who are interested to find the Mormon missionaries instead than having the missionaries do all the work.

Consider creating your own blog and share your testimony online!

Jan

22

Bella Sion

January 22, 2007 | Leave a Comment

Bella Sion è un website con molte informazioni interessanti sulla Chiesa Mormone in Italia.

Ho appena ricevuto un aggiornamento e mi fa molto piacere vedere che sta crescendo e divulgando la storia della Chiesa di Gesù Cristo dei Santi degli Ultimi Giorni in Italia.

Congratulazioni a Salvatore Velluto per il suo sforzo e a tutti gli altri che lavorano con lui.

Questa icona identifica gli articoli riguardanti il quarantennale (1966-2006) della Chiesa SUG in Italia.

Alle pagine di STORIA GENERALE della Chiesa Mormone in Italia sono stati aggiunti i seguenti 5 articoli della serie “Preludio alla rinascita della Chiesa in Italia”

Prima parte: Dai Patti Lateranensi allo scoppio della Seconda Guerra Mondiale

Seconda parte: I Santi degli Ultimi Giorni in Italia durante la seconda guerra mondiale

Terza parte: La Chiesa in Europa nel secondo dopoguerra

Quarta parte: I primi anni ‘60

Quinta parte: Rinascita della Chiesa in Italia

Jan

18

Il Centro di Studi per il Medio Oriente dell’ Università Brigham Young (l’ università della Chiesa di Gesù Cristo dei Santi degli Ultimi Giorni o Chiesa Mormone) è localizzato sul Monte Scopus, vicino all’Università ebraica. L’ Università Brigham Young opera in Gerusalemme dal 1968 ma l’università si è trasferita sul Monte Scopus in 1987.

Comunque, negli ultimi 6 anni l’università è stata chiusa a causa delle minacce terroristiche. Adesso finalmente 44 studenti mormoni sono arrivati da Salt Lake City, Utah, per studiare per un semestre in Israele.

L’ articolo del Jerusalem Post spiega che molti Ebrei conservatori si sono opposti alla presenza della scuola in Israele per paura che i mormoni facciano lavoro missionario tra di loro. A causa di questa paura, l’amministrazione dell’università ha accettato per iscritto che tali attività missionarie non saranno fatte.

Malgrado questa assicurazione, un rappresentante degli ebrei conservatori ha detto che le attività degli amministratori dell’ università‘ dovrebbero essere attentamente seguite, perché è nella natura dei mormoni fare attività missionarie e tentare di influenzare gli altri.

Penso che il signor Porush non sia il solo ad essere preoccupato per queste motivi. Abbiamo avuto nel passato e ci sono ancora oggi paesi che non consentono attività missionarie ma impongono una religione di stato. Questa era infatti la regola in Europa per molti secoli ed è ancora la regola in molti paesi musulmani.

Io mi chiedo, perché queste persone sono cosí preoccupate? Se credono realmente che la loro religione sia quella giusta e che sia superiore alle altre, perché hanno così paura di alcuni missionari mormoni? Se fanno un buon lavoro di insegnamento tra il loro popolo, non dovrebbero temere.

Nel Libro di Mormon leggiamo quello che penso che dovrebbe essere la regola in questi casi (Alma, Capitolo 30) :

“Ora, non c’era nessuna legge contro il credo di un uomo; era infatti strettamente contrario agli ordini di Dio che vi fosse una legge che portasse gli uomini a una condizione di ineguaglianza. Poiché così dice la Scrittura: Seceglite oggi a chi volete servire. Ora, se un uomo desiderava servire Dio, ciò era suo privilegio; o piuttosto, se egli credeva in Dio era suo privilegio servirLo; ma se non credeva in lui, non vi era nessuna legge per punirlo. Ma se uccideva, era punito con la morte e se rapinava, era pure punito… Poiché vi era una legge secondo la quale gli uomini dovevano essere giudicati secondo i loro crimini. Nondimeno non vi era nessuna legge contro il credo di un uomo; un uomo dunque veniva punito soltanto per i crimini che aveva commesso.

Penso che questa dovrebbe essere la regola. Dovremmo lasciare libere le persone di scegliere quello in cui vogliono credere, ma punire i crimini.

La Chiesa di Gesu Cristo dei Santi degli Ultimi Giorni (Chiesa Mormone) rispetta i governi che non permettono che i missionari mormoni facciano proselitismo, ma io credo che se un sistema di credenze che sopravvive soltanto perchè è imposto e sostenuto dalla paura, e che teme il confronto pacifico e onesto di opinioni differenti, prima o poi crollera’.

In 1989, mi ricordo ancora dell’ effetto che mi fece vedere il famoso Muro di Berlino crollare senza che nessuno potese impedirlo. Gli uomini possono costruire dei muri di mattoni o di ignoranza, ma questi crolleranno prima o poi, ed il Signore farà crescere e prosperare la sua opera tra gli uomini di questa terra…

Jan

17

The Brigham Young University Jerusalem Center for Near Eastern Studies is located on Mount Scopus, near the Hebrew University. Brigham Young University (the Mormon University) has been operating in Jerusalem since 1968 but the university moved to the building on Mount Scopus in 1987.

However, in last 6 years the campus was closed because of concerns over terrorism. Now finally, 44 Mormon students from Salt Lake City, Utah, arrived last Wednesday to study for a semester in Israel.

One thing that strucked me was the comment in the articles from the Jerusalem Post where it is clearly expressed how many conservative Jews have opposed the school’s presence in Israel and expressed fear of Mormons proselytizing. Because of this fear the university’s administration agreed in writing that such activities would not occur.

In spite of this, MK Meir Porush (United Torah Judaism) said that the activities of the heads of the institute should be closely followed, since it is in the nature of Mormons to carry out missionary activities and to try and influence others.

Now, Mr. Porush is not the only one who is concerned about Mormons or other religious groups trying to do missionary work. We had in the past and we still have currently countries that don’t allow such activities but impose a state religion. This was the rule in Europe for many centuries and it is the rule in many Muslim countries right now. Still in other countries no religion is welcomed.

Now I ask, why are these people so concerned about other groups peacefully preaching to their people? If they really believe that their religion is the right one and superior to the others, why are they afraid of a few Mormon missionaries? If they have done a good job of teaching their people and their religion is the best, they shouldn’t fear.

In the Book of Mormon we read about what I think should be the rule (Alma, chapter 30):

Now there was no law against a man’s belief; for it was strictly contrary to the commands of God that there should be a law which should bring men on to unequal grounds. For thus saith the scripture: Choose ye this day, whom ye will serve.

Now if a man desired to serve God, it was his privilege; or rather, if he believed in God it was his privilege to serve him; but if he did not believe in him there was no law to punish him. But if he murdered he was punished unto death; and if he robbed he was also punished…

For there was a law that men should be judged according to their crimes. Nevertheless, there was no law against a man’s belief.

I think that this should be the rule. We should let people choose by themselves what they want to believe, but not allow them to commit crimes.

If governments are concerned about missionaries or others preaching different beliefs to their people we need to respect it, and the Mormon Church does it. However, I believe, soon or later if a belief system is not good enough, and it is imposed and sustained by fear, it will crumble and fall.

In 1989, I remember seeing the Berlin Wall crumble and fall without anybody being able to stop it. Men can build walls of bricks or of ignorance, but they will crumble soon or later and the Lord will do His work..

Jan

12

Le scritture della Chiesa di Gesù Cristo dei Santi degli Ultimi Giorni (Chiesa Mormone) sono state pubblicate online.

Questa e’ la pagina: scritture mormoni in italiano.

Le scritture pubblicate online non includono la Bibbia ma soltanto il Libro de Mormon, Dottrine e Alleanze, e La Perla di Gran Prezzo.

Se volete vedere la Bibbia online (la stessa edizione usata dalla Chiesa Mormone) potete visitare questo sito: La Sacra Bibbia, versione riveduta.

Jan

4

Mormon Temples are special places of peace, inspiration, and learning. But this is not all. They are the place where families can be sealed for eternity together.

This life is a time of probation for humankind and it is not uncommon that faithful parents have troubles with some their sons. How can a family be together in the eternity if the children make wrong decisions ?

I don’t know the perfect answer to this question, but this is something interesting coming from the Prophet Joseph Smith:

“‘The Prophet Joseph Smith declared–and he never taught more comforting doctrine–that the eternal sealings of faithful parents and the divine promises made to them for valiant service in the Cause of Truth, would save not only themselves, but likewise their posterity. Though some of the sheep may wander, the eye of the Shepherd is upon them, and sooner or later they will feel the tentacles of Divine Providence reaching out after them and drawing them back to the fold. Either in this life or the life to come, they will return. They will have to pay their debt to justice; they will suffer for their sins; and may tread a thorny path; but if it leads them at last, like the penitent Prodigal, to a loving and forgiving father’s heart and home, the painful experience will not have been in vain’ (Orson F. Whitney, in Conference Report, Apr. 1929, 110).”

This can be of some comfort to many and an interesting point for those who want to know more about the Mormon Church and the importance of the Mormon Temple.

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