STATEMENT OF BELIEFS

I have been cleaning out some old files, papers and such and I run across this statement I wrote way back in 1992. When I read it I thought to myself that my feelings have not changed much so I thought I would share it:

STATEMENT OF BELIEFS

W.R. BALDWIN
Sept 19, 1992

We were challenged in Stake Conference to write down on paper a Statement of our Beliefs so we could refer to it and so our children might read it later in our lives. I chose to do it in the form of The Articles of Faith, so here it is:

1.I believe that families are the key to perfection, not only in the Church but also in world affairs, politics, and every day living. To be close together as a family and to help each other in time of need or stress, is truly a Godsend and could change many lives.

2.I believe in Jesus Christ, God the Father and the Holy Ghost and in the Plan of Salvation that they have set up for us to follow.

3.I believe that much good can come from all people, if we are honest in our dealings with all people. If we do good, for the sake of doing good and not to see how much credit we will get for what we do.

4.I believe that the laws of this free land were instigated to protect us and not to punish us. I believe we should abide the laws, keeping in mind, that we have the free agency to choose to keep the laws or not, just like we have the free agency to keep the laws of God or not. However we also must keep in mind if we break either temporal or eternal laws we must pay the penalty.

5.I believe that contention is a tool of Satan, that causes disputes, arguments and quarreling in every home at one time or another. Contention in one person invariably causes hurt in others. If we truly put ourselves in the other persons shoes we would be on our first step to doing away with contention.

6.I believe that if every member of our Church would share their testimony with someone else, the Church would grow at a rate which we cannot imagine. Our Prophet has told us this. Why should we doubt it?

7.I believe that we as members of the Church have many latent talents and that sometimes we are called to positions to help us bring out new talents, and not because we are an expert in the field we are called in.

8.I believe the Lord answers our prayers. If we pray with sincerity, expecting to receive an answer, and we are living worthily, we can receive answers to our prayers. Sometimes the answer may not come immediately, and sometimes it may not be what we want to hear or feel but our prayers will be answered.

9.I believe as we become older the small things in life take on new meaning. Comments from children and grandchildren become precious to us. Small acts of kindness become more meaningful. At least to me they have. The Church also has become more of a center piece of my life and a guide as to what I choose to do and how I will act and react.

W.R. Baldwin