LDS.org recently published a really great message by President Uchtdorf about remembering the “why” of the gospel. He notes that members of the Church often seem to be so focus on the what and the how the gospel that they forget why they are doing these things in the first place. His message is much better than anything I’m able to give, so I invite everyone to read it on LDS.org, here.
Instead, what I’d like to focus on today is the “why” of the gospel to those who have not yet made the steps in learning more about it. The following conversation is very similar to something that happens on Mormon.org almost every day:


Welcome to Missionary Chat.

Thank you for your interest in talking to a missionary from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The purpose of Mormon.org chat is to answer basic questions about the church and its beliefs and to provide opportunities to learn more.

Before we begin, will you share a little about what brought you to chat with us?

Alvin the Atheist: someone prove to me that the morman church is true

A missionary will be with you shortly.

Me: Hello! My name is Benjamin. My teaching companion today is Zayne. How can I help you?

Alvin: i want you to tell me why i should believe what you believe

Me: Well, Alvin, that’s something for you to decide. In the Book of Mormon, in Alma 32, we’re given a great message about our faith and how we can increase in our understanding of Christ and His gospel. The first step, it tells us, is having a desire to believe. That desire can be found in many aspects of the gospel. Specific blessings are promised many times in the scriptures. For example, in Doctrine and Covenants section 89, we’re promised health and strength if we follow the Word of Wisdom and avoiding taking harmful substances into our lives. Many of the other blessings of the gospel include living with our families forever, and having peace in this life. Perhaps greatest of all is the promise of happiness in this life and in the life to come - these are all blessings that we can have from learning the truth and continuing to follow through with what is right. Would you say that you have that desire to follow Christ’s gospel and have the blessings that it can bring?

Alvin: um......

(The chat has disconnected)


In the above scenario, Alvin didn’t really have a desire to believe - he was looking for a debate. Even when we’re doing the right things, such as reading the Book of Mormon or praying, with this mindset, then we won’t be able to find the “why” that we are seeking, because we’re not looking for the “why.” We’re looking for the “how can I prove this is wrong?”

The “why” of the gospel is not only an important thing to remember as we each continue to study and to learn more each day, but an important step for those interested in learning more to take. No matter what it is that has sparked one’s interest - maybe a neighbor or friend who is a member of the Church, hearing about the Church on TV, or running across missionaries on the street - curiosity will only carry someone so far. The gospel is something that changes our lives for the better, but we must be willing to make those changes for this to take effect. When we keep our goal of “why” in mind, our gospel studies will be much more purposeful and spiritually lead. To everyone who has already made the steps in learning about the gospel, continue to remember the why, even if you have been learning about the gospel your entire life. Don’t let the “what” and the “how” distract you from it. To those who haven’t yet made the steps or are just beginning to learn more, keep in mind what the gospel means. One great question that you can ask yourselves is, “What would I be willing to do if I were to know that this is true?” Would you be willing to make the changes necessary in order to follow Christ and have the blessings that doing so will bring? If we always keep the “why” of the gospel in mind, then we will better be able to see and recognize the blessings of the gospel in our lives.