Let me tell you about a few fountains. Many are as real as the waterfalls in the wild or the public water works. I'm not talking about the fountain of youth. Youth is in your heart. There are fountains of truth. The original, the purest, is our Heavenly Father, whose messages have flowed down through his servants, primarily through the life of the Living Water, Jesus Christ.
Some noticeable fountains for the modern Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, besides ancient scriptures, are other churches. The original Saints of the recently restored Church had almost always come from other churches. These influences aided perpetually in creating a well-rounded, intellectual church, accepting of converts from every background. And up to modern times, Sunday services in the LDS church resemble those of most Christian churches, with prayers, hymns with accompaniment, Sunday School, and frequent social activities.
To this day, the Church promotes peace between faiths, and does not ever single out other denominations or their doctrines.
To emphasize how much he appreciated and valued members of other faiths, Joseph Smith said:
"The Saints can testify whether I am willing to lay down my life for my brethren. If it has been demonstrated that I have been willing to die for a 'Mormon', I am bold to declare before Heaven that I am just as ready to die in defending the rights of a Presbyterian, a Baptist, or a good man of any other denomination; for the same principle which would trample upon the rights of the Latter-day Saints would trample upon the rights of the Roman Catholics or of any other denomination who may be unpopular and too weak to defend themselves."
As the Lord's Prophet treasured and upheld their beliefs, so do I.
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