Q & A

Do I believe that there is a living prophet on the earth who directs Christ's Church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?
Yes

Do I believe that there are 12 apostles on the earth today who help direct His Church?
Yes

Do I believe they received their authority through the Melchizedek priesthood to be in those positions?
Yes

Do I believe that they receive inspiration and revelation from God to direct The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?
Yes

Do I believe you can get God's authority from a college or university to perform God's work?
No. The only way to get His authority is from someone who received it from Him or one of his prophets or apostles or other's who have received the priesthood from them. The living prophet and 12 apostles have received this authority in this way.

Do I think The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has God's priesthood authority.
Yes. It was restored to the earth when Joseph Smith received it from Peter, James, and John who appeared as resurrected beings and laid their hands on Joseph's head and ordained him with that authority. Between the time of Christ and the apostles' deaths and when Joseph received it again, the authority to pass on that priesthood authority was lost and had to be restored by those who had it.

Do I think The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is Christ's ONLY church on the earth today?
Yes. I believe that the authority of God through Jesus Christ was lost after he and the apostles died. After that, there was no leadership of the Church to pass along the authority and so it was lost. To direct his Church and perform his ordinances, you must have that authority.

Christ's Church and authority had to be restored. It was, through Joseph Smith, when God and Jesus appeared to Joseph in a vision and told him not to join any of the churches of the day. They told Joseph that they would restore the Church through him with all the authority it had at Christ's time.

Do I believe that no other church has the authority to act in his name?
Yes. I believe there are many good people on the earth and wonderful people in churches all over the world. There are leaders of churches that are great men and women. The problem is, they have no authority to act in God's name or perform baptisms or any other ordinance like the sacrament. Only one church has received that authority through a restoration of the priesthood authority.