{"id":3572,"date":"2018-09-04T03:51:43","date_gmt":"2018-09-04T10:51:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ourthoughts.ca\/?p=3572"},"modified":"2018-09-04T04:27:57","modified_gmt":"2018-09-04T11:27:57","slug":"the-only-true-and-living-church","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ourthoughts.ca\/2018\/09\/04\/the-only-true-and-living-church\/","title":{"rendered":"The only true and living church"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cAnd also those to whom these commandments were given, might have power to lay the foundation of this church, and to bring it forth out of obscurity and out of darkness, the only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth, with which I, the Lord, am well pleased, speaking unto the church collectively and not individually\u201d \u2014D&C 1:30<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The phrase \u201cthe only true and living church\u201d is a treasured one among members of the LDS church. If true, it lends legitimacy to the church and its claims.<\/p>\n

However.<\/p>\n

Latter-day Saints have a tendency to focus on the words \u201conly\u201d and \u201ctrue\u201d. Together, these two words mean our church is God\u2019s church, a claim unshared by anyone else.<\/p>\n

But in all the discussions I\u2019ve heard or talks I\u2019ve listened to, very little attention is given to \u201cliving\u201d.<\/p>\n

Something that\u2019s living, breaths. It grows. It adapts. It makes mistakes. It has successes. It moves. It engages. It interacts.<\/p>\n

Something that\u2019s living isn\u2019t stagnant. It isn\u2019t stationary. It isn\u2019t rigid. It isn\u2019t static.<\/p>\n

The only true and living church. Yet it feels so lifeless. Someone needs to check its pulse.<\/p>\n