AFTER BAPTISM, WHAT?

by Mark E. Peterson
of the Council of the Twelve
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Published by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Deseret Press

"Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a 
perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men ... "  (2 Nephi 
31:20)

As a prisoner, the Apostle Paul once stood before King Agrippa making a mighty 
defense of himself and the gospel of Christ.  So impressed was the king that 
he said to Paul, "Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian."  (Acts 26:28)

The Apostle told the king of his own conversion to Christ, describing his 
journey to Damascus to persecute the Saints.  It was then, he said, that a 
bright light came from heaven, and a voice said, "Saul, Saul, why persecutest 
thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks." 

"And I said," continued Paul, "Who art thou Lord?  And he said, I am Jesus 
whom thou persecutest."

Paul then told the king that the crucified and resurrected Jesus called him 
into the ministry and sent him to preach to the Gentiles, "to open their eyes, 
and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, 
that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which 
are sanctified by faith that is in me."  (Acts 26:14-15, 18)

As Paul afterwards went among the nations many people believed his teachings, 
repented of their sins, and joined the Church of Jesus Christ by baptism of 
the water and of the spirit.

Each one thus baptized came "from darkness to light, and from the power of 
Satan unto God."  Each also received the forgiveness of sins and the sacred 
inheritance of which Paul spoke to Agrippa.

It is the same today.  When persons are converted to the true gospel of Jesus 
Christ, and are baptized by the authorized servants of God, they too receive a 
remission of their sins, and they too turn from darkness to the light.  And 
they receive that same inheritance which was given to the members of the 
ancient Church.  All of this comes to them because of the completeness of the 
restoration of the gospel in these modern times.

But after entering the Church, what are new members supposed to do?  What are 
the next steps?  Are they to become active participants in it, or are they to 
remain passive in their worship of the Lord?

The Savior has given the answer.  It is that each one shall labor in the 
kingdom with all his heart, might, mind, and strength, and bring forth much 
fruit.

"I am the vine," said the Savior as he explained this principle.  "Ye are the 
branches:  He that abideth in me and I in him, the same bringeth forth much 
fruit."  (John 15:5)

All who become members of his true Church become part of that vine, actual 
branches, as the Lord explained.  And all must produce "much fruit" to be 
acceptable to him. 

In the Sermon on the Mount he explained that "every tree that bringeth not 
forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire."  (Matthew 7:19)

The Prophet Nephi made a clear explanation of what should follow baptism.  
Said he:  "And then are ye in this straight and narrow path which leads to 
eternal life; yea, ye have entered in by the gate; ye have done according to 
the commandments of the Father and the Son; and ye have received the Holy 
Ghost, which witnesses of the Father and the Son, unto the fulfilling of the 
promise which he hath made, that if ye entered in by the way ye should 
receive.

"And now, my beloved brethren, after ye have gotten into this straight and 
narrow path, I would ask if all is done?  Behold, I say unto you, Nay; for ye 
have not come thus far save it were by the word of Christ with unshaken faith 
in him, relying wholly upon the merits of him who is mighty to save.

"Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a 
perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men.  Wherefore, if 
ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the 
end, behold, thus saith the Father:  Ye shall have eternal life."  (2 Nephi 
31:18-20)

In speaking to the Nephites, Jesus himself explained the importance of 
perfecting our lives.  He said, "And no unclean thing can enter into his 
kingdom; therefore nothing entereth into his rest save it be those who have 
washed their garments in my blood, because of their faith, and the repentance 
of all their sins, and their faithfulness unto the end."  (3 Nephi 27:19)

Keeping his commandments is fundamental to our being acceptable to the Lord.  
He interprets love for him in terms of service and obedience to him, for he 
said, "If ye love me, keep my commandments ... He that hath my commandments 
and keepeth them, he it is that love me ... If a man love me, he will keep my 
words ... He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings."  (John 14:15, 21, 23-
24)

When speaking to his modern saints through the Prophet Joseph Smith the Lord 
explained further by saying, "O ye that embark in the service of God, see that 
ye serve him with all your heart, might, mind and strength, that ye may stand 
blameless before God at the last day."  (Doctrine & Covenants 4:2)

We embark in the service of God when we join his Church.  The act of embarking 
is but the beginning of a journey which should be of lifelong duration, in a 
spirit of devotion and obedience.  To keep his commandments will require a 
combination of both our faith and our works, for faith without works is dead.  
(James 2:14-26)

Paul had this in mind when he wrote to the Philippians:  "Work out your own 
salvation with fear and trembling."  (Philippians 2:12)

But in what direction are we to work?  Is there a plan to follow?  How are we 
to go about this business of serving the Lord?  How are we to "bring forth 
much fruit" as he has commanded?

The Lord's house is a house of order.  He does have a definite plan for us, 
and it is according to this plan that we must work.  It has to do with our 
individual, personal lives as well as with our attitude toward our fellow men.  
Our acceptance before the Lord is based upon both principles.

When Paul wrote to the Ephesians explaining the purpose for the organization 
of the Church, he said that it was "for the perfecting of the saints, for the 
work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ" meaning his 
people who are members of his organized Church).

He explained too that this Church organization would serve as a protection to 
its members against being led astray by the false teachings of uninspired and 
evil men.  (Ephesians 4:11-14)

The perfection of the saints is one of the great objectives of the gospel.  
Moroni, the last surviving prophet of the Book of Mormon, appealed to his 
readers as he drew near the close of his writing, saying, "Yea, come unto 
Christ and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and 
love with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for 
you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God 
ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God."  (Moroni 
10:32)

The Savior commanded this of his people, saying, "Be ye therefore perfect, 
even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect."  (Matthew 5:48)

The Church then becomes a factor of great importance to us.  It becomes the 
means by which we build Christlike traits of character within ourselves, it 
becomes a "vehicle" by which the saints may work together for their common 
good, and it provides protection against those worldly forces which would 
destroy our salvation.

Since we are to "work out our salvation," we are to work it out through and in 
the Church which is set up specifically for that purpose.

To work in the Church is to participate in the activities of the Church, to 
engage in the program it provides, and to be associated with the other saints 
in the work of the Lord.

Then after baptism, we should make definite plans to be active in the Church.  
Its program touches every righteous phase of our lives, including our own 
personal habits, our homes and our relationship with people whether in 
business, in our local community or in the nation.

Let us list some of the important parts of its program:

I -- AS IT EFFECTS US INDIVIDUALLY

First, our attitude must be in harmony with the gospel.  The Lord outlines 
what he expects of a new convert in Section 20 of the Doctrine and Covenants.  
As we read what he says in verse 37 of that section, we are impressed with the 
thought that the Lord requires sincerity.  He says in this verse that the new 
convert must humble himself before God.  That humility of soul must continue 
with him always.  Next he says we are to have broken hearts and contrite 
spirits; that is, hearts which are repentant, and spirits which are submissive 
to the will of God.

Recognizing that we are mortal and subject to mistakes, we must strive 
constantly to avoid sin, and to repent of any mistakes we do make.

The Lord must have had this in mind when he said, "Therefore if thou bring thy 
gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against 
thee; leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be 
reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift."  (Matthew 5:23-
24)

The revelation also indicates that as we take upon ourselves the name of 
Christ, we do so with a determination to serve him to the end of our lives, 
and that we manifest by our works that we have received of his Spirit.

Inasmuch as this is a requirement BEFORE baptism, it becomes a standard for 
our conduct AFTER baptism.

There are many commandments referring to our personal, private conduct.  We 
have room for but a few of them here.  But we may mention these:

PRAYER.  A Latter-day Saint must be prayerful.  The General Authorities 
emphasize the teachings of the scriptures that we pray privately, by 
ourselves, frequently, and that we join with our families in daily family 
prayer.

FASTING.  The first Sunday of each month is designated as Fast Day in the 
Church.  On that day it is expected that each member of the Church who is in 
good health will refrain from eating two meals, and this constitutes the 
monthly fast of the Latter-day Saints.  Generally this consists of going 
without breakfast and the noon day meal, and then breaking the fast at the 
usual time of the evening meal.  Although there is no set period during which 
a fast will continue, it is customary to fast from evening to evening, or for 
24 hours.  Small children are not asked to fast, nor are older people whose 
health would be jeopardized thereby.

FAST OFFERING.  It is also customary in the Church to give to the bishop for 
the benefit of the poor the value of meals saved by such a fast.  Such 
donations are called fast offerings.  These donations are usually received in 
sealed envelopes by the Aaronic Priesthood who call at the home, or at the 
meetinghouse.

TITHING.  Members of the Church are expected to pay a full tithing.  Payments 
are made to the president of the branch or the bishop of the ward, who are 
authorized to give further counsel on this subject.  tithing funds are used 
for building temples, meetinghouses, carrying on missionary work and meeting 
many other Churchwide expenses.

OTHER DONATIONS.  There are other donations which are made by Church members, 
including contributions to the Church Welfare Program, to funds for 
maintenance of our buildings and grounds, to priesthood quorum projects and 
other activities.  Although none of these contributions are required of the 
people, and all are voluntary, it is expected that faithful members will 
support and sustain the Church with their means as well as with their talents.

THE WORD OF WISDOM.  The Lord referred to repentance from all our sins as 
being a prerequisite to baptism.  (Doctrine & Covenants 20:37)  This has 
specific reference, among other things, to items prohibited in the Word of 
Wisdom, which is found in Section 89 of the Doctrine and Covenants.  In the 
Word of Wisdom we are counseled against the use of alcoholic beverages, 
tobacco and hot drinks.  The hot drinks referred to are interpreted as being 
tea and coffee.  therefore we list four prohibitions in the Word of Wisdom:  
alcoholic beverages (including beer), all forms of tobacco, and tea and 
coffee.  The Lord declared it to be "the order and will of God in the temporal 
salvation of all saints in the last days."  (Doctrine & Covenants 89:2)  
Therefore obedience to this law is required of faithful Latter-day Saints.

MORALITY.  The Church regards sex sin as being next to murder in its 
seriousness.  Persons who have been guilty of this sin in the past and have 
completely repented of it, may receive forgiveness.  But further indulgence in 
this sin leads to excommunication from the Church.  Repentance means complete 
abandonment of the sin, the making of what recompense can be made, and sincere 
living of the laws of God by such individual for the rest of his or hear life.  
The Lord commands that each man must be true to his own wife, that each wife 
must be true to her own husband, that they are to "cleave" unto each other, 
and "none else."  It is recommended that Section 42 of the Doctrine & 
Covenants, verses 22 to 26, be read carefully, as well as the 39th chapter of 
Alma in the Book of Mormon.  The moral law is upheld in the Ten Commandments 
(Exodus 20) and in many other parts of the scripture.

THE SABBATH DAY.  There is no more fundamental law in the gospel than 
observance of the Sabbath Day.  The Lord required it in the Ten Commandments, 
and reiterated it many times later.  One of the most impressive statements on 
the Sabbath Day is that appearing in the Doctrine and Covenants, Section 59, 
beginning with verse nine.  The Sabbath should be devoted to sacred purposes.  
On that day we should avoid commercial transactions and entertainments of all 
kinds, as well as our usual amusements and occupations.  It is realized that 
cows must be milked, animals must be fed and certain other employment must be 
carried on.  But the spirit of all this is reflected in the words of the Lord 
as set forth in the above-mentioned revelation to Joseph Smith the Prophet.  
What must be done should be accomplished "with singleness of heart," as the 
Lord said.

HONESTY.  One of the Articles of Faith of the Church begins with the words:  
"We believe in being honest."  (Thirteenth Article of Faith)  That refers to 
our business dealings, to contacts with neighbors, with theaters, bus lines, 
and railroads.  It refers to lying, bearing of false witness, the payment of 
our regular bills, and to all of our dealings.  The Church accepts what the 
Lord said on the subject of honesty, in the Ten Commandments and in Section 42 
of the Doctrine and Covenants, which scriptures we recommend for careful 
reading.

PROFANITY.  "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain" (Exodus 
20:7) is one of the fundamental laws of the Church.  To profane the name by 
which we ask for blessings in our prayers, and by which we perform our 
priesthood ordinances is just unthinkable.  Each instance of such speech is an 
insult to the Almighty.  Would not each of us consider as an insult the 
profanation of our own names?

But there is something further that should be mentioned here also with respect 
to unclean speech.  Filthy language of any kind is reprehensible.  The unclean 
story, the slighting remark, suggestive references all are out of harmony with 
the spirit of the gospel and should be studiously avoided by the Latter-day 
Saints.  When we realize that no unclean thing can enter into the presence of 
God, and that we are seeking to make ourselves worthy to be with him, we can 
hardly besmirch ourselves with filthy speech of any kind and hope to receive 
the Lord's blessings.

ATTENDANCE AT MEETINGS.  Your activity and interest in the Church will be 
measured in large degree by your attendance at the meetings of the various 
organizations.  Our Sacrament Service is the most important meeting held in 
the Church.  It is conducted in each ward and branch every Sunday under the 
direction of the bishop or branch president.  All faithful Latter-day Saints 
should attend this meeting every week.  All members of the family are expected 
to be present, including little children.  Sunday School is held each Sunday 
morning for all members of the Church.  It is there the gospel is taught to 
all, with classes organized on age levels.  Week day religious education is 
important in the Church.  Little children have the Primary organization, the 
young people above 12 years of age have the M.I.A., women of the Church are 
organized into the Relief Society.  These organizations hold meetings weekly.

THE PRIESTHOOD.  It is designed that all male members of the Church hold the 
priesthood.  But all must be worthy of ordination before they can receive this 
blessing.  The Senior Aaronic Priesthood organization especially invites the 
attendance of adult men newly joining the Church.  As they faithfully attend 
these meetings and prove themselves by living the gospel, adult male converts 
may be ordained to the grades within the Aaronic Priesthood, looking to the 
time when they may receive the higher or Melchizedek Priesthood.  For boys in 
the ages of 12 to 20 years, there are separate Aaronic Priesthood quorums.  
Boys in new convert families may attend these meetings, and after proving 
their worthiness, be received into this priesthood also.

CHURCH WELFARE.  In most parts of the Church there are welfare projects 
designed to provide goods for the support of the poor.  This is done in 
addition to the assistance given through fast offerings.  Active members of 
the Church are invited to contribute labor on these projects in behalf of 
their less fortunate brothers and sisters.

TEMPLE WORK.  All faithful members of the Church look forward to the time when 
they can go to the temple and receive the ordinances which are given there.  
These ordinances are all necessary for exaltation in the Celestial Kingdom.  
New members are asked to prove themselves through at least one year of Church 
membership before going to the temple.  A high standard of worthiness is 
required for admittance there, and all who go are carefully interviewed by 
their bishops or branch presidents.  Men must hold the Melchizedek Priesthood 
in order to receive the blessings of the temple.

GENEALOGICAL WORK.  It is the responsibility of every member of the Church to 
make a family record containing the genealogy of his or her forefathers.  The 
Church conducts a large genealogical organization to assist its members in 
this work.  When the records are completed, vicarious ordinances may be 
performed for the persons listed in those records.  It is the privilege of all 
worthy Church members to go to the temple to perform these vicarious 
ordinances in behalf of their departed dead.

OTHER ACTIVITIES.  The Lord has said:  "Behold it is not meet that I should 
command in all things:  for he that is compelled in all things, the same is a 
slothful and not a wise servant; wherefore he receiveth no reward.  Verily I 
say, men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of 
their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness.

"For the power is in them, wherein they are agents unto themselves.  And 
inasmuch as men do good they shall in no wise lose their reward.  But he that 
doeth not anything until he is commanded, and receiveth a commandment with 
doubtful heart, and keepeth it with slothfulness, the same is damned."  
(Doctrine & Covenants 58:26-29)

With this in mind, we do not list all the commandments of the Lord pertaining 
to individuals and their conduct, but recommend a careful study of the gospel, 
so that on learning the will of God, we may comply with it.

Such a study is all important.  How can we obey laws we know not of?  How can 
we learn of them without study?  We recommend that each new member of the 
Church make a serious project of studying the revealed word of God as it 
appears in the Holy Bible, the Book of Mormon, and Doctrine and Covenants and 
the Pearl of Great Price.  Certain other books officially showing the 
doctrines of the Church with comments thereon, are also of much value.

ATTITUDE OF OTHERS.  The attitude of others will be more noticeable to you as 
you join the Church.  Some persons may persecute you in one way or another.  
Former friends may snub you, or may gossip about you, even circulating 
untruths.  In some instances religious persecution goes beyond that.  But the 
Lord offers great reward to those who are willing to bear persecution 
cheerfully.

"Blessed are ye," said the Savior, "when men shall revile you, and persecute 
you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake.  
Rejoice, and be exceeding glad:  for great is your reward in heaven:  for so 
persecuted they the prophets which were before you."  (Matthew 5:11-12)

Then there is another attitude which will come to your attention.  It is that 
of delinquent members of the Church who do not live up to their opportunities, 
and who make light of sacred things.  Such persons have been blinded by the 
things of the world.  Like the blade in the parable of Jesus, they have wilted 
in the heat of the day.  Or, again, like the unprofitable servant who failed 
to improve upon his talent, they never fully recognize what God has done for 
them, and lose the pearl of great price.

Just as we shall disregard those who actively persecute us, so we will ignore 
examples which might lead less thoughtful ones astray.

II -- LIVING THE GOSPEL IN THE HOME

The home is a fundamental unit of the Church.  To all intents and purposes, it 
is a part of the Church, for within it many of the principle objectives of the 
Church are to be worked out.

TEMPLE MARRIAGE.  The home is based upon marriage.  The Lord's mode of 
marriage is the temple ceremony which is for time and eternity.  Every couple 
newly joining the Church should look forward to the time when they can go to 
the temple for this ordinance.  They should plan also to have their children 
sealed to them for eternity.  It is a basic tenet of the Church that families 
should be bound together in this manner by the power of the priesthood.

FAMILY PRAYER.  One of the important elements in Latter-day Saint family life 
is family prayer, night and morning, every day.  Kneeling together in this way 
teaches faith and prayer to children, brings families close together, and 
invites into the home the Spirit of the lord, which is so necessary to harmony 
and love in the family circle.

TEACHING THE CHILDREN.  The Lord has revealed that it is the duty of all 
Latter-day Saint parents to teach their children the gospel in the home, 
adding that if they fail to do so, "the sin be upon the heads of the parents."  
(Doctrine & Covenants 68:25-28)

It is the intent of the Lord that children be taught in this manner to prepare 
them for baptism if they are not yet baptized.  The age for the baptism of 
children is eight years, for that is when children become accountable for 
their acts in the eyes of God.  Children need to be taught and converted, so 
that they will obey the gospel.

WORD OF WISDOM.  It should be habitual in the Latter-day Saint home for all to 
live the Word of Wisdom.  As parents set the example, children will likely 
follow.

TITHING IN THE HOME.  All members of the family should pay tithing if they 
have any income at all.  Even children should be encouraged to pay a full and 
honest tithing upon any income they may have, either from doing tasks about 
the home, or from part time or other employment away from home.  Parents 
should teach this law to their children, both by precept and by example.

Speech in the Home.  Parents should understand that children absorb habits and 
ideals from their parents, either for good or for evil.  There should be no 
profanity in the home, no evil speaking of any kind, no lying, backbiting or 
criticism.  This holds true with respect to all, including neighbors and 
authorities of the Church.  There is no quicker way to teaching children to 
lose respect for Church officers than for their parents to speak disparagingly 
of them.

RESPECT FOR EACH OTHER.  One of the Ten Commandments urges respect as between 
parents and children.  To win the respect of their children, parents must 
themselves be respectable.  But parents must also respect their children, and 
be fair and just to them.  Children are to honor father and mother, be 
obedient to them, and cooperate with them in developing a Christlike 
atmosphere in the home.

BLESSING THE SICK.  "Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the 
church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the 
Lord:  And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise 
him up."  (James 5:14-15)

PATRIARCHAL BLESSINGS.  Patriarchs in the Church give blessings to worthy 
members.  These blessings reveal to the individuals receiving them, what their 
possibilities are if they are obedient to the truth.  Both parents and 
children may receive these blessings.  But parents should prepare their 
children carefully for this rich experience.  Patriarchs officiate only within 
the stakes of Zion.  However, persons living in missions, if worthy, may 
receive from branch and mission presidents, recommends permitting them to 
obtain blessings when and if they visit a patriarch within an established 
stake of the Church.

THE FAMILY HOUR.  One of the lovely customs in the Church is referred to as 
the Family Hour.  Parents are urged to hold a "family evening" once a week, 
with all members of the family taking part.  Parents and children present 
various numbers on the family program. These numbers may be humorous, serious, 
musical, or may even include stunts.  The point is that each member of the 
family should be permitted to participate in a wholesome activity before the 
other members of the family.  Refreshments might well be served.  All such 
evenings should include some direct gospel teaching from the parents, and 
should open and close with prayer.

DOING THINGS TOGETHER.  It is vital to the success of any family that the 
members learn to do things together in a spirit of love and cooperation.  
Families which work and play and worship together make the greatest success in 
life.

III -- ACTIVITY IN THE WARD OR BRANCH

The importance of participating in ward and branch activities has been 
stressed under the section devoted to our individual responsibilities.  It 
should be pointed out that in stakes, the ward is a central religious unit for 
all members living within a given geographical area.  The branch holds a 
similar place in missions.  It is the unit which provides the group activity 
so necessary in Church procedure.

It is in the ward or branch where the local priesthood authority resides.  
This authority regulates all affairs of the branch or ward, so that the pogrom 
of the Church will be properly conducted, and so that all members are given 
equal opportunities for activity.  There the bishop or branch president issues 
recommends for baptism, for advancement in the priesthood, or for the temple.  
It is here where we receive our instruction in the gospel and in our special 
assignments.  It is the seat of local government in the Church.

MEETINGS.  The regular ward or branch meetings have already been mentioned, 
and all members should plan to participate in them.  There are also stake or 
district meetings in which new converts will be interested.  They include 
stake or district conferences which are held every three months.  These are 
meetings of great importance and are often addressed by the General 
Authorities of the Church.  The entire family should plan to attend.  All 
should be prompt in coming to these meetings, avoiding tardiness in 
attendance.

REVERENCE.  Our meeting places are the houses of the Lord.  His Spirit is in 
them.  We should show due reverence for them and teach our children to do 
likewise.

RESPECT FOR AUTHORITY.  The authorities of the Church local and general, are 
the servants of the Lord.  They are entitled to our respect.  We should 
support and sustain them by our participation in the regular activities of the 
Church, avoiding unkind remarks about them.  The Lord honors his servants.  
This is evident all through the scriptures, which teach that those who receive 
the servants of the Lord shall themselves be received of the Lord, but those 
who reject the Lord's servants will themselves be rejected.  (Matthew 10:40; 
Luke 10:16; John 13:20; Doctrine & Covenants 84:36; 112:20)

IV -- THE LATTER-DAY SAINT IN THE COMMUNITY

When the lord gave us the first and great commandment, which was to love God 
with all our hearts, he also said:

"And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself."  
(Matthew 22:36-40)

In the Sermon on the Mount he gave us what has become known as the Golden 
Rule:  "All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even 
so to them."  (Matthew 7:12)

As we read the scriptures, we are impressed with the fact that our 
relationship toward our fellowmen will determine in large measure the kind of 
salvation we shall receive from the Lord.

When the Savior gave us his lesson in forgiveness in connection with the 
Lord's prayer, he made it clear that we shall receive forgiveness of our sins 
only in proportion to the way in which we forgive others who trespass against 
us.  (Matthew 6:14-15)

In the day of judgment he will reward every one according to his works "and 
measure to every man according to the measure which he has measured to his 
fellowman."  (Doctrine & Covenants 1:10)

The entire Sermon on the Mount bears up the spirit of this teaching.  Most 
people have greatly underestimated the importance of the Second Great 
Commandment and the Golden Rule.

In our communities we are to live in such a way that our lives will be 
examples of the ideals of Jesus, and will serve as a beacon on a hill, 
inviting all men to come unto Christ.

V -- LATTER-DAY SAINTS AS CITIZENS

"We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in 
obeying, honoring and sustaining the law."  (Twelfth Article of Faith)

Need more be said than this which is taken from our Articles of Faith?

Early in our history as a Church the Lord said:  "let no man break the laws of 
the land, for he that keepeth the laws of God hath no need to break the laws 
of the land."  (Doctrine & Covenants 58:21)

For persons living in the United States it is important to know that the Lord 
himself established a free form of government in America, and that he himself 
raised up righteous men to write the Constitution of the United States. 
Therefore the Church regards that instrument as being inspired of the Lord, 
guaranteeing the personal liberty of all who live here.

The Lord says by revelation that it is not right that one man should be in 
bondage to another and that personal liberty is provided by law as a means of 
permitting man to be judged according to his own deeds.  (Doctrine & Covenants 
98:4-5; 101:77-80; 1 Nephi 13:10-20; 3 Nephi 21:4)

It is easily seen, therefore, why the Lord told us that if we obey his law, 
there is no need to disobey the law of the land.

In short a good Latter-day Saint should be a good citizen, observing the laws, 
taking part in elections and otherwise contributing to the preservation of 
justice, peace and order in the land.

CONCLUSION

The gospel is the plan of salvation.  It is a way of life.  It is not 
something to be considered on Sunday and forgotten the rest of the week.  It 
is a pattern to help us to become Christlike.

We should labor in it with willingness and cheerfulness.  We should put it 
first in our lives, always keeping in mind that divine injunction of the 
Savior:

"Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things 
shall be added unto you."  (Matthew 6:33)

Let us not be weary in well doing.  Let us not suppose that the task is too 
hard.  There is no excellence without labor, and there is no salvation without 
obedience.

The Lord is kind and he is helpful.  If we will but believe in him, and accept 
his word, we shall discover the truth of what he said on another great 
occasion:

"Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart:  
and ye shall find rest for your souls.

"For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."  (Matthew 11:29-30)