In response to the recent media attention, I just wanted to share a glimpse into the basic beliefs of a Mormon family regarding Jesus Christ. I wrote down a few questions, called Grant into the office, and gave him a quick interview. Grant is 8 years old and was recently baptized as a member of the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He shared his own views about Jesus Christ and what Christianity means to him. His answers are sincere and spontaneous, and I hope they can share some insight into what a Mormon family teaches, believes, and strives to live.
(if video is not working on this site, you can find it at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEcq3sx5MaM)
Glossary of terms:
Mormon: a nickname often used to refer to a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Friend magazine: a monthly publication by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that is for children. It shares teachings from the Bible and Book of Mormon, tells stories of children trying to follow the example of Jesus Christ, and communicates lessons recently taught by living prophets and apostles. You can see current and past editions here.
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I know that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He is my Savior and He is my friend. He alone has made it possible for me to overcome sin and death and gain eternal life. I know that He lives, and I know that He loves me. I believe that the surest path to joy, both in this life and after death, comes from following His example, keeping His commandments, and repenting of my sins. Jesus Christ is Lord and King. I believe in Him. I am a Christian.
Please visit mormon.org if you have any other questions about the doctrines, practices or members of the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
[image credit: Jesus the Christ, painting by Heinrich Hofmann (1824-1911)]
Diapers and Divinity 
Love this! I love how you thought to interview Grant. 🙂
Thank you for sharing this, it is just precious, I love it!
Beautiful! So true. Hearing Grant’s testimony was a great way to start my day 🙂
Really really great! I hope you’ll come link this and all of your Book of Mormon posts in our Book of Mormon Forum blog hop: http://beinglds.blogspot.com/2011/10/what-is-book-of-mormon.html
Everyone needs to see your testimony!Beautiful!
He’s getting so big! Thanks for sharing both of your testimonies.
What a great testimony!!
Wow. I was almost in tears. My four year old watched the video with me and loved it. It prompted us to have a little discussion about what it means to be Christian.
I grew up in the south where “Vacation Bible School” is very popular and one of my friends from our ward sent two of her primary aged kids to VBS at a local Baptist Church. Before the first day of VBS they had a special family home evening on what “born again” means and they talked about how both of her children had been “born again” and if anyone asked them if they had been born again, they could say yes. She taught her kids to understand the terminology of another religion, and realize that those Baptists believe the same things that they believed (at least fundamentally – they believe in accepting Jesus Christ and His sacrifice).
I think that as Latter-day Saints, we need to accurately teach our children about what it means to be Christian – both so they know that they are Christian, and so they can understand that people are Christian, even if they are not Mormon. I think that Steph is doing a great job at that! Grant seems to have a honest and powerful testimony of what it means to follow Christ. Thank you so much for sharing!
Steph, that was wonderful. Thanks for sharing your boy with the world this way. I hope a positive response like yours can touch some hearts – especially anyone who’s confused and sincerely wondering.
I love this post. I am going to sit down tonight and have a discussion with my family on this subject. and I too posted my testimony on my blog.
I love this question. Are Mormons Christians? Hmmm. Is a Christian someone who believes in Jesus Christ’s divine sonship to God the Father? Do we point to the name of our religion with an eye-roll and a “DUH!” Do we emphasize our study and love of the Bible as well as the other scriptures in our canon? Do we explain and explain and explain until we’re out of words or patience or even interest in clarifying who we are to the rest of the world?
Or is it “Christian is as Christian does?” I claim to be a Christian. I sometimes wonder if Christ would agree. And if this would simplify it for those who ask that question from a place of honest inquiry.
And I loved “Christians are a different kind of Mormon.” It’s usually the other way around, isn’t it?
That was wonderful, a great response.
Wonderful interview! What a great mother and son.
That made me tear up. What a sweet boy. I want to talk to my children about this, as well. Thanks for starting a dialogue, Steph.
Good video- we love Grant.
You need to add to your glossary: “Christian”
Coming from the heart of the bible belt, I can tell you how they define the word “Christian”: for them, it means someone who is protestant and evangelical, and also usually politically conservative and tends to forward emails about how Obama is the anti-Christ. In the sense that these people use the word, I agree with them, Mormons are not these type of “Christians”
But if “Christian” means someone who accepts Jesus Christ as their personal savior and worships Him and tries to follow his teachings, then YES, Mormons are Christians.
Because Mormons don’t match the first and widely accepted definition in the south, I prefer to avoid the word all together and say that Mormons are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of LDS, and they worship and accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.
What a great interview. I loved Grant’s initial responses about what a christian is. In Poland they use the terms “Catholic” and “christian” interchangeably. It’s funny. Also, reading your very short, very simple testimony at the end, to be truthful, I was just reading it quickly, knowing what it would say (sorry, that’s horrible) and it DID say just what I thought it would. But somehow it made me cry, still.
My husband is a big fan of not worrying about what label other people want to give or deny us. He convinced me last night that of course we’re not christian to some people.I don’t need to defend my beliefs to anyone, and I don’t feel I need to fit into anyone else’s description of a name I once thought was important to hold. I believe that Jesus Christ is my savior and the one and only way to happiness and eternal life. I don’t care if that doesn’t make me a christian to you. That’s what I believe. I think it’s mostly counterproductive to adamantly declare that we are christian to those who don’t define the term the way we do. Instead, sharing our testimony, as you did here and leaving the emphasis on the term out seems like a better idea.