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Denouncing Mormonism

Posted in Denouncing Mormonism, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on 01/17/2011| Leave a Comment »

DENOUNCING THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS

 First of all we must tell you congratulations on getting out of the Mormon Church!  We are celebrating your new found freedom and rejoice with the angels as you begin your new walk with the Lord Christ Jesus!  Please keep us updated on your progress so we may be blessed by continuing to pray for you and your loved ones.

 We have found over the years that it is in the best interest of the new ex-Mormon if they go out and find a Bible believing church which they feel comfortable in attending and get re-baptized into the Lord Jesus Christ.  If you’ve been married in the temple or by a Mormon bishop or chaplain you might think about renewing your wedding vows as well.

 It’s vitally important to denounce any of the vows that you’ve taken in the temples or ward meetings to help free yourself from the Mormon way of thinking.  This is a step which separates you spiritually from the Church and gives Jesus the power to do His work in you.  You might want to pray something like this:

  “In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the authority I possess as a believer in Him, I rebuke any and all lying and deceitful spirits of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints which may still think that they have a claim on me or my family. In Jesus’ name, I renounce the spirits of priestcraft, the spirits of Moroni and Mormo and declare that you have no power over me any more, for I am bought and paid for by the blood of Jesus of Nazareth who died for me on Calvary.

 I renounce any covenants made by me at my baptism into the LDS Church and any priesthood or Bishopric blessings given to me. (If a former Temple Mormon: I renounce any and all covenants made in the LDS temple— especially those placing my family and children under bondage to demonic principalities and powers!) By the power of the blood of Jesus, I also renounce any generational sin or hereditary bondage which may be oppressing me or my family through covenants made by my parents or ancestors; and I nail all these things to the cross of Christ, “forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”  (Phil.3:13-14) In Jesus’ name.  Amen.”

 

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Studying the Book of Mormon 10

Posted in Studying the Book of Mormon 10, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 01/17/2011| Leave a Comment »

Studying the Book of Mormon 10

 http://www.sidneyrigdon.com/dbroadhu/NE/miscne01.htm

 Boston Courier.
Vol. VI.                           Boston, Ma., Thursday, March 17, 1831.                           No. 545.

 DELUSION. There is no end to trickery and imposture in our land. “Fools are the game which knaves pursue,” and until the people in some sections of the country become more enlightened, there will be plenty of game.

 The newspaper headline above provides insight to what most people thought of Joseph Smith and his shenanigans.  This edition of the Boston Courier was fascinating.  We are able to see how the early Mormon Church was able to grow and to what extent the surrounding townsfolk tolerated this movement.  Most didn’t put up with it, while others were able to be tricked into their schemes.  At one point a Methodist church had Rigdon and a few others come in and actually preach at the pulpit – the entire congregation left God and signed up to become Mormon.

 Mormon 9:32-33; “And now, behold, we have written this record according to our knowledge, in the characters which are called among us the reformed Egyptian, being handed down and altered by us, according to our manner of speech.  33 And if our plates had been sufficiently large we should have written in Hebrew; but the Hebrew hath been altered by us also; and if we could have written in Hebrew, behold, ye would have had no imperfection in our record.”

 The passage above is a good example of how the Church makes excuses for the way they believe.  Does it make sense they’ve altered the Hebrew or Reformed Egyptian?  His explanation reminds me of what the con artist tries to pull off at carnivals.  He puts the prize under the shell and mixes them around; if you find it, you win.

 Tragically, the unfound prize in this game is the salvation in Jesus that Mormons are so desperately seeking.  The Mormon god keeps changing the rules; the people writing the story changed the language and the members won’t change their minds about whom they hold allegiance to.

 The entire Book of Mormon (not just this particular book) is difficult to follow or assign a central theme to because of the miserable way it’s been written.   The writing of Moroni in the Book of Mormon is no exception to this finding.  They purposely introduce off topic items in order to confuse.  Because of this, I’ve chosen to list several items of interest that actually hurts the storyline instead of adding to the message it was originally intended to convey.  If it’s to be a cohesive piece of work why is there so much garbage in its text?

 I’ve not written my analysis this way to confuse, but to spark an objective thinking process about Joseph Smith and his claim about the characters in this book.

 If you’re LDS, know that we pray for you each and every day.  We so want for you to know the Jesus in the Bible and dedicate your passion to Him who holds the truth.

 With Love in Christ;

Michelle Grim

1 Cor. 1:18

 There are 227 verses in the Book of Mormon

Verses with the phrase “And it Came to Pass”: 61x in 57 verses

 Mormon 1:6; “And it came to pass that I, being eleven years old…”

 1:6, 8, 10, 11 (2x), 12, 19 – 7x, 6 verses

2:1, 2, 3, 4 (2x), 7, 9, 10, 12, 15, 16, 20 (2x), 21, 22, 23, 25, 26 – 18x, 16 verses

3:1, 2, 4, 5, 7 (2x), 11, 16 – 8x, 7 verses

4:1, 2, 6, 7, 8, 10, 13, 15, 19, 22 – 10 verses

5:1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 20 – 7 verses

6:1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 15 – 9 verses

8:2 – 1 verse

 Verses describing years that have passed:  18

 2:3, 9, 16, 22, 28

3:1, 4, 7, 8

4:1, 7, 10, 15, 16

5:5, 6

6:5

8:6

 Verses with False Prophecies:  9

 1:17

5:8

7: intro

8:1, 32

9:6, 9, 32, 33

 Verses with grammar problems:  4

 4:21

6:10, 11, 16

Verses with No Contentions/Peace:  2

 1:12

4:16

Verses with Wars:  11

 1:8, 13

2:1, 15

4:10, 18

5:6

6:2, 15

8:2, 8

Verses with partial sentences/phrases from the Bible:  30

 2:14

3:2, 15 (2x), 20, 22

5:14, 16, 18

6:21 (2x)

7:5 (2x), 7, 8 (2x), 9, 10

8:17, 20, 29, 30, 31

9:2, 7, 9 (2x), 13 (2x), 14, 22, 23, 24 (2x), 27, 28 (2x), 29 (2x)

 Main Events in Mormon

 1:7; “The whole face of the land had become covered with buildings, and the people were as numerous almost, as it were the sand of the sea.”

 30,000+ Nephites gathered to fight – Mormon 1:11

Hidden treasures become slippery – Mormon 1:18

Why did Jesus die if the “Day of grace is gone”? – Mormon 2:15, 26

Bodies piled up like dung on earth – 2:15

Lamanites sent epistle to warn of battle – Mormon 3:4

Mormon refuses to lead in battle – Mormon 3:11

Strange – “…Without calling upon that Being who created them…” – Mormon 5:2

Invitation to fight at Cumorah – Mormon 6:2

100,000 die in battles – Mormon 6:14

110,000 die in battles – Mormon 6:15

Trinity teaching – Mormon 7:7

If you’ll believe this story, you’ll believe the Bible – Mormon 7:9

Scriptures not inspired; Moroni commanded by his father to write scripture – Mormon 8:1

Scriptures not inspired; Moroni would write but he’s run out of materials – Mormon 8:5

Those 3 disciples disappear – 8:10

Pardon all the mistakes in the sacred cannon – Mormon 8:12

Person who discovers the hidden books is blessed, yeah, that means Joe Smith – Mormon 8:14-16

If you doubt the book you are damned – Mormon 8:17-20

Saints could remove mountains – Mormon 8:24

Modern day Mormon theology – Mormon 8:32

 “…happy to dwell with that holy Being…” – Mormon 9:3

The righteous are pure, fair and white – Mormon 9:6

God doesn’t change – Mormon 9:9, 10, 19

Jesus doesn’t do miracles anymore because everyone stopped believing – Mormon 9:20

Explanation of reformed Egyptian – Mormon 9:32-33

 Events Worth Questioning

 1:7; “The whole face of the land had become covered with buildings, and the people were as numerous almost, as it were the sand of the sea.”

 Think about the above scenario for a moment.  The entire face of the land was covered with buildings – and they still haven’t found even one piece of archaeological evidence…

 If there were almost as many people on the face of the land as there were grains of sand, how did they all fit?  As a side note, there are approximately 10,000 grains of medium-coarse sand per cubic inch…

God wouldn’t let Mormon preach

 When has God ever told people not to speak about Him?

 Mormon 1:17; “But I did remain among them, but I was forbidden to preach unto them, because of the hardness of their hearts…”

 Fighting for Democracy and Liberty

 Modern democracy like America knows it didn’t come about until the Declaration of Independence in 1776.  While forms of living in a “free world” made half hearted attempts and brief appearances as early as the Greco-Roman Empire and again in 1215 with the advent of the Magna Carta, this thought process and governmental system wasn’t in existence until centuries after the Book of Mormon was supposed to have taken place.

 Mormon 2:23; “And it came to pass that I did speak unto my people, and did urge them with great energy, that they would stand boldly before the Lamanites and fight for their wives, and their children, and their houses, and their homes.”

 If you believe in God why are you without hope?

 Mormon 5:2; “But behold, I was without hope, for I knew the judgments of the Lord which should come upon them; for they repented not of their iniquities, but did struggle for their lives without calling upon that Being who created them.”

 Were the Nephites evil?

 Mormon 6:7; “And it came to pass that my people, with their wives and their children, did now behold the armies of the Lamanites marching towards them; and with that awful fear of death which fills the breasts of all the wicked, did they await to receive them.”

 If you believe in God, why are you using the terminology of witches?

 Mormon 6:15; “…and blood lay upon the face of the earth, being left by the hands of those who slew them to molder upon the land, and to crumble and to return to their mother earth.”

 Why is the destruction of the Nephites “great and marvelous”?

 Mormon 8:7; “And behold, the Lamanites have hunted my people, the Nephites, down from city to city and from place to place, even until they are no more; and great has been their fall; yea, great and marvelous is the destruction of my people, the Nephites.”

 Modern day Mormon theology

 In order to receive a full and true salvation members of the LDS Church must subject themselves to a bishop’s interview.  It is there the bishop will ask the member if their spiritual lives are in order and that means paying a full 10% tithe of your gross income.  You turn in your W-2 and if you don’t comply, you don’t receive the coveted Mormon temple recommend.  The end of each year brings with it a “tithing settlement” you make with the ward (congregation) you belong to.

 Mormon 8:32; “Yea, it shall come in a day when there shall be churches built up that shall say: Come unto me, and for your money you shall be forgiven of your sins.”

 Incorrect teaching in Mormon

 The Mormon teaching below is disingenuous.  Yes, we can be resurrected because Jesus was resurrected after His death.  However, Jesus’ death brought about forgiveness of our sins, alas, that is something the Mormons don’t like to talk about.

 Romans 4:25; “Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.”

 Mormon 9:13; “…because the death of Christ bringeth to pass the resurrection…”

 Not enough room to tell whole story because they’ve changed the languages

 I’ve often wondered why they didn’t just write in Hebrew to begin with.  Where did this “Reformed Egyptian” stuff come from anyway?  Who told them to write in this manner?  Who taught the Nephites this language if they didn’t go into Egypt in their exodus from Jerusalem?  Why did the author(s) waste so much space on their plates with nonsensical information like the examples above?  (Number of years passed, bad grammar, “and it came to pass” phrases used repetitively, plagiarisms from the Bible, et al.)

 Mormon 9:32-33; “And now, behold, we have written this record according to our knowledge, in the characters which are called among us the reformed Egyptian, being handed down and altered by us, according to our manner of speech.  33 And if our plates had been sufficiently large we should have written in Hebrew; but the Hebrew hath been altered by us also; and if we could have written in Hebrew, behold, ye would have had no imperfection in our record.”

 No one but Smith knows Reformed Egyptian

 How convenient…

 Mormon 9:34; “But the Lord knoweth the things which we have written, and also that none other people knoweth our language; and because that none other people knoweth our language, therefore he hath prepared means for the interpretation thereof.”

 How do you rid your clothes of the blood of unbelievers?

 Mormon 9:35; “And these things are written that we may rid our garments of the blood of our brethren, who have dwindled in unbelief.”

 And finally – if there were so many Nephites in this army of 42,000 and 30,000, etc., what in the world happened to all of them?  Where are they, how did they die, where are their families….where is the archaeological evidence of these people?

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Families are Forever

Posted in Families are Forever, tagged , , , , , , , , , on 01/16/2011| Leave a Comment »

ARE FAMILIES REALLY FOREVER?

      I was reminded of a familiar phrase well known by church members this past week when I received my LDS-Gems e-mail of the day.  The topic was about the Families are Forever plan the LDS Church promotes to its members. 

     While I have entertained many questions about this doctrine throughout the years, I was saddened and perplexed by the content of the message that had originated from an article in the November 1996 issue of the Ensign.  The message was delivered by Robert D. Hales, one of the apostles for the LDS Church. 

     The very first line of the e-mail said the following:  “While our individual salvation is based on our individual obedience, it is equally important that we understand that we are each an important and integral part of a family and the highest blessings can be received only within an eternal family.”

     “Wow”, I thought to myself, “am I ever thankful this isn’t truth”!  It reminded me of what it says in 2 Nephi 25:23; “For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do.”  Just those two teachings from the Church have me exhausted already!  It is certainly all about mortal man and his obedience to perform good works and then if he got anything wrong, Jesus will be the sweep-up man “just in case”.

     In contrast, here is what Paul said in Romans 2:12; “For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law.” 

     If I am the one responsible for making sure I get to heaven then I am doomed from the get-go.  I am unworthy to live under the Law of Moses.  I do want to obey; the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak – Matthew 26:41.   I am unworthy because of my sin.  I am absolutely certain I would not go to heaven if my salvation was dependent upon the Law.

     The first thing that comes to mind is that I am without a temple to perform sacrifices unto God.  The LDS temples we see dotting various landscapes throughout the world are not patterned after the specifications of what our Holy and Righteous God commanded the Israelites must build when He gave them the Law.  

     Next, I am without a proper sacrifice to offer to God.  Now I could probably come up with enough money to purchase a sacrifice outside the walls of the temple from those who sell that commodity.  But where am I going to find a temple?  Would I even know which sacrifice to purchase to give to the priests inside the temple so they could sacrifice in my name?  There are 613 laws in the Old Testament.  If I am to live by obedience to get me into heaven, I have a lot of studying and behavior modification to take into consideration and get performing! 

     Then and only then, I see in 2nd Nephi that I have the privilege of looking to Jesus and honoring his name by knowing he died after I did all my duties to obey the Law of Moses.  It reminds me of a friend of mine.  She was expecting company to come in from out of town that she hadn’t seen in years.  She wanted everything to be perfect for the visit so she invested almost $500 to have a cleaning brigade come in and help her in advance.  Before they got there she spent an entire week bleaching walls, scrubbing floors and washing windows so no one would see the “real Janet”.  I felt so badly for her.  She was in a complete mess by the anticipated arrival of family members.  They stayed for a few days, but most of their time was spent site-seeing and very little time was spent in her ultra-clean home. 

     To the members of the LDS Church:  are you racing around like Janet trying to clean things up before Jesus’ arrival?  I guarantee you; it’ll never be enough when you don’t believe your salvation is free!  Hebrews 10:5-6 tells us that God isn’t interested in your sacrifices.  “Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure.”

     The other part of that first sentence in the e-mail I received gave me more things to think about as well.  “…, it is equally important we understand that we are each an important and integral part of a family and the highest blessings can be received only within an eternal family.” 

     For those who are not intimately aware of what this really means, here’s the translation:  If you do not go to the temple and take oaths to be sealed to your family for eternity you will not be going to the highest level of heaven, the Celestial Kingdom.  For the Mormon, this is where “true salvation” is found.  

     The Teachings of Joseph Smith, pg. 300 says this; “Except a man and his wife enter into an everlasting covenant and be married for eternity, while in this probation, by the power and authority of the Holy Priesthood, they will cease to increase when they die; that is, they will not have any children after the resurrection. But those who are married by the power and authority of the priesthood in this life, and continue without committing the sin against the Holy Ghost, will continue to increase and have children in the celestial glory.”

      Here’s reality with the family I was born into – my parents are divorced – an eternity for them is being in the same room together for longer than five minutes.  I am fully aware I am not the only person that has been Mormon with this situation.

     So – if I were still a member of the LDS Church, with whom would I be spending eternity with?  My father isn’t active and my step-mother is; while my mother is very active, but my step-father isn’t active at all.  Let’s complicate the matter a little further by imagining that my husband and I were active, as well as his parents.  Do we live with his family or mine?  What if our kids get married and have a family – if they decide not to reside with us wouldn’t that negate the phrase “Families are Forever”? 

     Tired yet?  I know I am and I also know that this must be what goes on in the minds of many Mormons.  Just think of all the time wasted on the “I wonder if’s” in life instead of the one sure thing – that being Christ Jesus!  2 Cor. 10:5 tells us to hold all thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ.  Philippians 4:8 says whatever is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, good repute and worthy of praise; these are the things that we are to have our minds dwell upon.  Does the scenario of possibilities with my family exemplify these admonitions from Paul?

     When I presented my mother with her reality, she told me it wasn’t for her to worry about here on earth; she’ll be getting all those answers after she dies.  I’ve no doubt she will and it’s what makes me so sad for her.

     As we read further into the “Gem” of the day we see the following:

  “It is not enough just to save ourselves. It is equally important that parents, brothers, and sisters are saved in our families. If we return home alone to our Heavenly Father, we will be asked, ‘Where is the rest of the family?’ This is why we teach that families are forever. The eternal nature of an individual becomes the eternal nature of the family.””

      Again, all I can say is “wow” as I shake my head in bewilderment.  If you choose to believe you must work your way to heaven, so be it.  I’d never say that I agree with your precepts; however you’re free to worship as you see fit.  The issue I have is with the doctrines of the LDS Church.  They are in exact opposition to the most basic teachings of historical Judeo-Christian theology. 

     My heart is sad all over again not just for my mother, but for all Mormons as well when I read statements like the one made by Mr. Hales, the LDS apostle.  What a burden it must be for the Mormon believing they are responsible for the salvation of those in their family as well as for themselves.  Talk about a guilt trip! 

      In the Encyclopedia of Joseph Smith’s Teachings it says; “The question is frequently asked “Can we not be saved without going through with all those ordinances, &c.?” I would answer, No, not the fullness of salvation. Jesus said, “There are many mansions in my Father’s house, and I will go and prepare a place for you.” House here named should have been translated kingdom; and any person who is exalted to the highest mansion has to abide a celestial law, and the whole law too. (Joseph Smith, History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 7 Vols. 6:184).”

      To show that I am not taking things out of context let’s take a look at yet another doctrine of the LDS Church.  It’s fascinating, the more I read about the necessity of being sealed to family members, the more incredible the story becomes. 

      The Doctrines of Salvation 2:173-5 says; “When everything gets finished, we will all be one family…And we will all be subject to our first progenitor, Adam, Michael, the archangel, who has been appointed and given authority under Jesus Christ to stand at the head and preside over all his posterity….There will be cases where some of our ancestors will not be worthy and will drop out, but the links will have to be joined without them…And, therefore, when the Prophet says we cannot be exalted without them, he is thinking of the family connections-generation to generation. And if we are going to sit down and do nothing…we are just setting ourselves off on the side.”

     Let’s take a good look at what God says in the Bible about works and our salvation.  Galatians 2:20-1 says; “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.  I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.”

     It wouldn’t matter where you turn in Mormonism, the message is pretty clear.  Sure, they say that they believe Jesus is the Son of God; why yes, they also say He was crucified for man’s sin and then resurrected on the third day so that we can live forever with Him. 

     Tell me though my friend, where in the above LDS teachings did you see anything said about the cross?  I saw they exalted Adam and named him as Michael the archangel, which of course isn’t true either.  They exalted man, a created being, and tried lowering the status of Jesus.  His blood means nothing according to what Paul says if living by righteousness is needed.

     There’s something else that needs attention to this matter.  Jesus Himself said in Matthew 22:23-29; “The same day came to him the Sadducees, which say that there is no resurrection, and asked him, Saying, Master, Moses said, If a man die, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.  Now there were with us seven brethren: and the first, when he had married a wife, deceased, and, having no issue, left his wife unto his brother:  Likewise the second also, and the third, unto the seventh.  And last of all the woman died also. Therefore in the resurrection whose wife shall she be of the seven? for they all had her.  Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.”

     Obviously the Sadducees had a few issues and Jesus answered them plainly letting everyone know the ways of the Lord God in heaven.  Isn’t it interesting that when we have our minds set on earthly things we cannot, or will not, believe there are other things possible that man cannot imagine? 

     This is another example of what happens when man exalts himself and chooses to de-glorify Christ Jesus.  How much of a “coincidence” do you think it is that this passage of scripture is in the Bible?  It’s just like what Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes 1:9-10; “The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.  Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us.”

     The real New and Everlasting Covenant is Christ Jesus, God’s perfect Sacrificial Lamb provided for you.  You can read about it in the book of Hebrews chapters 7-10; Jesus is the only one who holds the priesthood now.  The New and Everlasting Covenant is not that of marriage in the LDS temple.  You’ve been lied to my friend and we are praying that you know the truth because we are convinced that in your hearts you truly want to know and love the Jesus of the Bible!

 With Love in Christ;

Michelle Grim

1 Cor, 1:18

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Praying to Jesus

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 01/15/2011| Leave a Comment »

Mormons Told There is No Salvation in Praying to Jesus

Our relationship with Jesus Christ must be the most important relationship that we ever have.  In addition, the most important avenue we have in cultivating any relationship is through communication.  On March 2, 1982 Bruce McConkie delivered a ‘Fireside and Devotional Speech’ at BYU on the correct protocol for having such a relationship with the ‘godhead’.  Today we’re looking at what McConkie said and comparing it with what God says about a relationship with Him.

 “There are yet others who have an excessive zeal that causes them to go beyond the mark.  Their desire for excellence is inordinate.  In an effort to be truer than true they devote themselves to gaining a special, personal relationship with Christ that is both improper and perilous.”

 Get ready…he’s going to tell us that having a personal relationship with Jesus is a hobby that is unholy.

 “I say perilous because this course, particularly in the lives of some who are spiritually immature, is a gospel hobby that creates an unwholesome holier-than-thou attitude.  In other instances it leads to despondency because the seeker after perfection knows he is not living the way he supposes he should.  Another peril is that those so involved begin to pray directly to Christ because of some special friendship they feel has been developed.  In this connection a current and unwise book, which advocates gaining a special relationship with Jesus, contains this sentence – ‘Because the Savior is our mediator, our prayers go through Christ to the Father, and the Father answers our prayers through His Son.’  This is plain sectarian nonsense.”     –Bruce McConkie, March 2, 1982

 Shocking isn’t it?  I found this to be one of the top ten most heretical teachings of the Church.  All throughout scripture we read that God wants nothing more than for us to have a personal relationship with His Son Jesus Christ.  The apostle John goes into great detail on how to achieve this and what it means to know and love Him in 1st John, in fact the letter was directed to the saints to beware of the Gnostics.  The theme for chapter one is fellowship with Christ.  Then Peter tells us in his second epistle how important it is to know Jesus Christ.

As you’re aware, there are different kinds of knowledge.  I know President Bush.  I’ve seen him on television and heard him speak.  And then there’s the knowledge that is on the more intimate level.  I know my good friends; I’ve shared meals and prayed with them.  Most importantly I know Jesus Christ.

In 2nd Peter 1:8; it says; “For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

He’s telling us that we need to know Him, really know Him.  Our salvation is dependent upon this knowledge of the Lord and He wants nothing less than for us to be with Him.

In vs. 8 the word knowledge in the Greek is epignosis.  It means the full discernment or recognition of.  This is the same type of knowledge as found in 1 Peter 3:7; having the experience of knowing someone very well.

Let’s look at 2 Peter 1:5;   “And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge.”    The word knowledge here is gnosis.  This means the act of knowing (as by science).  This type of knowledge enables us to avoid error.  We see this example again in 2 Peter 3:18; “But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.”

The next example is the word gnosko.  It means to know experientially, to be sure of.

1 John 2:13-14; “I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father.  I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning.”

Hebrews 3:10; “Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, they do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways.”

Oh dear ones don’t be tempted or fooled by statements such as the ones given by McConkie.  It is vital and necessary to really know Jesus Christ.  Your relationship with Him can and should be the most important relationship you’ll ever have in your life.  It should be above your relationship with your spouse, your children and your friends.  No one can compare with Him!

Here are some other things said by McConkie in this speech:

 “I shall speak of our relationship with the Lord and of the true fellowship all saints should have with the Father.  I shall set forth what we must believe relative to the Father and the Son in order to gain eternal life…

There is no salvation in believing any false doctrine, particularly a false or unwise view about the Godhead or any of its members.  Eternal life is reserved for those who know God and the One whom He sent to work out the infinite and eternal atonement…”

 I pray the Mormons think about the statement by McConkie and sincerely contemplate the following things;

 Why isn’t it arrogant to believe you can become a god?

What is so improper and perilous about having a relationship with Jesus Christ?

If the verses I used are mistranslated, what are the correct translations?

Why does the Bible have so many references to having a relationship

with His Son if we aren’t supposed to do that?

Why is praying to Jesus wrong?

 My heart is so sad over this speech.  I think of all the blessings that are missed out on by not having a deep relationship with Jesus and cannot imagine what it would be like to live like that again.  The main blessing of course is our salvation.  This subject is far more important than just the ‘little red school house’ or ‘mother love’.  I don’t get my feathers ruffled over such trivial things.  The truth is that he is lying about God and Jesus Christ.  The truth is that we are told by God to love and know Jesus Christ and not to be tricked into believing that knowledge will gain our salvation.  You can read about all these things from the epistle of second Peter of being diligent, to John’s first epistle teaching us about the love of God and how to abide in Him; these are the quintessential truths of His Word.

The basics of Christianity are to know and worship God.  We do this by accepting His Son as the atoning sacrifice on the cross.  We also worship Him by knowing that having a true relationship can only be done through communication.  My husband and I have a strong marriage because we have an open line of communication at all times.  I can’t imagine not talking with my husband each day of my life.  It would be no relationship at all.  Prayer is and must be the necessary element of any Christian’s life!

Being a Christian also means knowing our position within the boundaries of the relationship, being a follower of the Lord and knowing His Word.  I’m not bringing God down to my level by worshipping His Son.  I’m worshipping God the Father by worshipping His Son.

I’ve been in ministry work for over ten years now and each time I quote McConkie I am told that his writings, etc., are not what the church believes.  To this I say; hogwash!  This is what the church believes, they do listen to him and they do obey his council, even since his death in 1985.  His writings and speeches are listed all over their products and still sold in their bookstores.

He didn’t teach anything that the church didn’t already teach.  I would encourage the Mormon to visit the website of BYU to see the speech in full.  You can read it for yourself and then read what Jesus has to say about a relationship with Him!

 www.byu.edu   You’ll find his speech under ‘Devotionals’.  The title of the speech is; ‘Our Relationship with the Lord’.

 

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Firing Squad and Mormonism

Posted in Firing Squad and Mormonism, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 01/15/2011| Leave a Comment »

Firing Squad and the Mormons

 Journal of Discourses 4:220; “This is loving our neighbour as ourselves; if he needs help, help him; and if he wants salvation and it is necessary to spill his blood on the earth in order that he may be saved, spill it. Any of you who understand the principles of eternity, if you have sinned a sin requiring the shedding of blood, except the sin unto death, would not be satisfied nor rest until your blood should be spilled, that you might gain that salvation you desire. That is the way to love mankind.” – Brigham Young, Salt Lake City, February 8, 1857

 Mormon Doctrine, pg. 92; “But under certain circumstances there are some serious sins for which the cleansing of Christ does not operate, and the law of God is that men must then have their own blood shed to atone for their sins. Murder, for instance, is one of these sins; hence we find the Lord commanding capital punishment.”

 Doctrines of Salvation 1:133; “But man may commit certain grievous sins-according to his light and knowledge-that will place him beyond the reach of the atoning blood of Christ. If then he would be saved he must make sacrifice of his own life to atone-so far as in his power lies-for that sin, for the blood of Christ alone under certain circumstances will not avail.  …Do you believe this doctrine? If not, then I do say you do not believe in the true doctrine of the atonement of Christ. This is the doctrine you are pleased to call the “blood atonement of Brighamism.” This is the doctrine of Christ our Redeemer, who died for us. This is the doctrine of Joseph Smith, and I accept it….To these I will add: “Whoso killeth any person, the murderer shall be put to death by the mouth of witnesses…”

 Doctrines of Salvation 1:135; “Joseph Smith taught that there were certain sins so grievous that man may commit, that they will place the transgressors beyond the power of the atonement of Christ. If these offenses are committed, then the blood of Christ will not cleanse them from their sins even though they repent. Therefore their only hope is to have their own blood shed to atone, as far as possible, in their behalf. This is scriptural doctrine, and is taught in all the standard works of the Church.”

 D&C 42:79; “And it shall come to pass, that if any persons among you shall kill they shall be delivered up and dealt with according to the laws of the land; for remember that he hath no forgiveness; and it shall be proved according to the laws of the land.”

      The references above provide a clear understanding of what the Mormon Church has thought of blood atonement through the years and how it continues to see it.  The reason we’re highlighting this particular teaching of the Church is because of what’s taking place in Utah as this I’m writing this.

     In 2004 Utah changed its rules on capital punishment.  As it stands today, if you’ve received the death penalty you will die by lethal injection with the exception of 4 men who sit on death row.  Their sentences have been grandfathered into the new law passed seven years ago.  Those four men have chosen to die by firing squad.  The last person choosing this method was John Albert Taylor who stood in front of 5 prison guards in 1996.

         The date of the next execution by firing squad in Utah will take place in June 2010 – the offender is a Mr. Ronnie Lee Gardner.  In 1984 Gardner was on his way to his court sentencing after being convicted on a robbery and murder charge when he tried to escape.  In the melee he shot and killed a defense attorney and injured a court bailiff.  (His girlfriend had snuck a gun into the courtroom for him.)  His repertoire also includes an escape from a minimum security facility, stabbing somebody over 100 times, breaking into a home to initiate a gunfight and the malicious attack of a couple of prison guards in a medium security prison.

     If that wasn’t enough he also tried to escape from a medical appointment and in so doing, bashed in a guard’s face and kidnapped a med student at gunpoint.  He’s been on death row since 1985.  And here we are today, April 23, 2010.

      Third District Judge Robin Reese signed Gardner’s death warrant after asking him if he still wanted to die by firing squad.  Gardner’s reply:  “I would like the firing squad please”.  And yes, he is a Mormon.

      The question for us at Life After Ministries isn’t about the worldview of capital punishment.  It’s about the inconsistencies in the doctrines of the Mormon Church and the lies they tell about the Bible.  If you’re LDS and you’ve murdered someone there’s no salvation for you unless you’ve shed your own blood.

      According to the teachings of the Church, King David will not receive a true salvation.  (1)  The apostle Paul and even Moses should be banned from enjoying life in the hereafter because they all have the same thing in common as Mr. Gardner. They’re all murderers.  Ironically, the rules don’t apply to Moses and Paul like they did to King David.  The Mormon’s silence on their salvation status is deafening.  And while I’m here on this earth long enough to talk about this I will continue to do so!

 In the eyes of the Mormon god there is no way to atone for your murderous sin unless you have your own blood shed for that crime.

  Did Moses shed his blood to atone for the murder he was guilty of?  No.  Deut. 34:5-7.

  Did King David shed his blood to atone for the murder he was guilty of?  No.  1 Kings 2:10-11.

     What about the apostle Paul?  Again, we know the answer to this question is also no.  There are no biblical accounts on the death of Paul.  Tradition has it that he was beheaded and buried in Rome.  If you’re LDS and you’re thinking, “hey his blood was shed”, you’re wrong.  Paul was beheaded for being a follower of Jesus, not for the murderous rampage he took part in before his salvation.

  However, here we have Ronnie Gardner maliciously murdering innocent people and he is going to have the opportunity to go to the Celestial Kingdom all because of his incredible “sacrifice” of having his own blood shed for his sin.  (See references above.)

     Now let’s take a look at how this is done, shall we?  In addition to the shedding of his own blood he will need someone to do his temple work for him.

         Temple worthy family members can take out endowments for deceased relatives in their local temple one year to the day after that deceased person’s death.  (2)

     Never mind the fact we’re living in the New Testament era, or the fact this man isn’t remotely close to being in the same league as the power houses of the Bible.  Oh, and did I mention the New Testament era?  Hmmm…whatever happened to our Lord hanging on that cross for everyone’s sins, including Mr. Gardner’s?

     For those not familiar with the ritual of “taking out endowments”, let me explain.  An active, temple worthy member of the LDS Church has the opportunity to stand as a “savior on the mountain” for relatives who’ve died and not accepted Jesus into their lives.  They do this through performing proxy works in the temple for that deceased person. (3)

     There are a number of things to participate in and works to perform in the temple so the deceased person will have the opportunity to once again accept Jesus into their lives.  It also serves as a way for you to earn your own salvation.

 Baptism by proxy for the dead

Confirmation to become a member and receive the Holy Ghost by proxy for the dead

Ordination into the priesthood by proxy for the dead

Sealings to spouses for eternal marriages by proxy for the dead

Sealings of children by proxy for the dead

 (The above information was retrieved from www.ldsendowment.org on 4/24/10)

      Works for the dead violates every teaching in the New Testament you can imagine.  Let’s take just a handful of examples for beginners, and leave others for you to investigate.  Let’s begin with the fact this is necromancy!

      Deuteronomy 18:11 explicitly tells us that consulting with the dead is forbidden.

     Luke 16:19-31.  Here we have Jesus giving a parable about the rich man and Lazarus.  The rich man of course wants for someone to relay a message from him to his family members who are still alive that where he ended up is horrible.  Jesus is very clear when He told the Pharisees about the chasm set in the afterlife and how no one can warn his family for him.  You’ve got one chance while you’re here on earth.

     Jesus told His disciple Thomas He is “the way, the truth and the life” in John 14:6.  Remember the “highway” spoken of in Isaiah 35:6?

     What about John 19:30?  “When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said,  It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.”

     Hebrews 9:11-14 – only the blood of Jesus qualifies for the redemption of sins.

     Hebrews 10:10-14 – priests keep offering sacrifices in the temples and none of them are deemed worthy.  And if you think this is the worst of the bad scenario that wouldn’t end – there’s more.

     What in the world do you think you’re doing trying to atone for your awful sin?  Is murder worse than stealing a pen from your work place?  By the law of the land it certainly is, but in God’s eyes?  Sin is sin my friend.  We must follow the law of the land so yes, there are consequences for our behavior, but that does not mean God thinks any less of the murderer than he does the thief.

     The catch you say?  The “catch” is that none of us are good enough to get into heaven without Jesus’ precious spilled blood.  Not you, certainly not me and definitely not anyone who’s trying to do it themselves.

     The only way to heaven is through the cross.  Galatians 2:16 & 20 says;

 “Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”

      Notice Paul didn’t say  just a little bit of work is required for this one thing…no!  Paul said we are justified by the faith of Christ, and not by works.

     Are you tired?  Are you heavy laden?  Jesus’ yoke is for you!  Matthew 11:28-30.  I remember being a Mormon and being exhausted all the time.  It didn’t matter if I was active or not in the Church, I carried the spirit of Mormonism around with me  and took it with me everywhere I went – Utah, Oklahoma, Idaho, California, Germany, Vegas, Tahoe, Washington…I kept unpacking the habits, the traditions, the “have to’s and must do’s” and I was very “lowly in heart”.

     Worse than that is the man sitting on death row at the Point of the Mountain in Bluffdale, Utah right now.  As if he didn’t have enough to think about, he’s obviously got his own atonement to think about.

     Let me be clear about something.  I used to not feel sorry for people like Mr. Gardiner, but as I’ve aged and grown in the Lord, my heart hurts for the messes he’s caused for himself and everyone who had the misfortune of coming near him. And yes, I strongly believe his punishment is just. I also feel horrible that he’s been lied to and might not come to the cross of the true Jesus.  The Mormon god offers nothing but a perverted gospel of Joseph Smith.  It has nothing to offer to the man in prison today or for the man who’s imprisoned by his works for the dead in the Mormon Church.  May God have mercy on them both.

     Know we’re praying for all the Mormon people; our hearts break for them each and every day.  If you or someone you know would like further information, don’t hesitate to call or e-mail us anytime!

 With Love in Christ;

Michelle

1 Cor. 1:18  …

 1.D&C 132:39; “David’s wives and concubines were given unto him of me, by the hand of Nathan, my servant, and others of the prophets who had the keys of this power; and in none of these things did he sin against me save in the case of Uriah and his wife; and, therefore he hath fallen from his exaltation, and received his portion; and he shall not inherit them out of the world, for I gave them unto another, saith the Lord.”

 2. Ensign, July 1999, pg. 65, “Guidelines for submitting names to the Ordinance Index using TempleReady from “I have a question”.  Response by Paul E. Koelliker, managing director of the Temple Department.”

 3. The Worth of Souls,” The Utah Genealogical and Historical Magazine, Oct. 1934, p. 189; “That places us in a very responsible attitude towards the human race. By that doctrine, with the Lord at the head, we become saviors on Mount Zion, all committed to the great plan of offering salvation to the untold numbers of spirits. To do this is the Lord’s self-imposed duty, this great labor his highest glory. Likewise, it is man’s duty, self-imposed, his pleasure and joy, his labor, and ultimately his glory.” – John A. Widtsoe

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Bishops and Young Women

Posted in Bishops, Bishops and Young Women, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 01/15/2011| 4 Comments »

Bishops and Young Women in the Ward

      Throughout my life as a Mormon I served in many areas of the Church. However, the one place I spent most of my time was in the Young Women’s program. I served as a counselor to the president and then as a Young Women’s president.

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Atonement of Jesus Christ

Posted in Atonement of Jesus Christ, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 01/14/2011| Leave a Comment »

THE ATONEMENT

Answers to Gospel Questions 4:17; “To many, like the writer, such a custom is repugnant and contrary to the true worship of our Redeemer. Why should we bow down before a cross or use it as a symbol? Because our Savior died on the cross, the wearing of crosses is to most Latter-day Saints in very poor taste and inconsistent to our worship.”

      For many of us there has been a time or two in life when we knew things were about to change.  This happened to me several years ago as I sat listening to a pastor challenge his audience about their personal knowledge of Jesus Christ.  Life as I knew it up to that point was radically different than what I was about to embark upon!

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Heavenly Mother

Posted in Heavenly Mother, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 01/14/2011| 1 Comment »

The Heavenly Mother of Mormonism

 By Melissa Grimes

 One of the core beliefs in Mormonism is that not only do they have a Father in Heaven, but a Mother in Heaven as well.  This doctrine came from what they call “latter day revelation”, yet it isn’t something you’ll find in any of their extra scriptures.

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Jesus and Mary Magdalene Married

Posted in Jesus and Mary Magdalene Married?, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on 01/13/2011| 1 Comment »

Jesus & Mary Magdalene Sealed in Temple

     When the Mormon tells you that anyone speaking out against the “sacred” teachings of the Church are a bunch of “anti’s”, remember what they’ve done in the name of Jesus.

     Today I was alerted to an article written by Helen Radkey that will be posted at the end of this article.  For those of you not familiar with Ms. Radkey’s work, she is an investigative reporter.  She’s written extensively about the Mormon Church’s workings for the dead in their temples and most of her work has been in the Salt Lake Tribune.  Her article featured here was copied from Free Republic (1). 

     As you will read for yourself, Ms. Radkey was researching the names of whom the Church does proxy baptisms for when she discovered the Church baptized and married Jesus to Mary Magdalene by proxy in the Salt Lake temple.

     Miscreant doesn’t seem to do justice in describing the behavior of the LDS Church.  Just when you think you can no longer be shocked by the unbelievable actions of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, surprise, their deviant behavior rears its ugly head once more.

     It makes me sad for people like my mother and others like her that the Church is leading astray.   I’m reminded of what Jesus told the disciples in Matthew 18:6;

 “But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.”

   I just have a few questions regarding this and I’m sure you do too!  Ask your Mormon friends and loved ones:

 Why would they baptize Jesus if He’s alive? 

 Does this make Jesus’ baptism by John the Baptist null and void?

 If the Church is a “restoration” of Jesus’ original church then what’s the deal with the baptismal do-over?

      Many people are shocked when they learn there is actually a book about Jesus’ marriage to multiple wives.  It’s called “Jesus was Married”, written by Ogden Kraut.  The news of Jesus’ baptism and subsequent marriage in the temple shouldn’t really surprise us, but then again…it’s just so blasphemous.  Here’s an example of what is in that book by Mr. Kraut when he quoted Jedidiah Grant, an apostle of the LDS Church;

 Journal of Discourses 1:346; “The grand reason of the burst of public sentiment in anathemas upon Christ and his disciples, causing his crucifixion, was evidently based upon polygamy, according to the testimony of the philosophers who rose in that age. A belief in the doctrine of a plurality of wives caused the persecution of Jesus and his followers. We might almost think they were “Mormons.”” – Jedidiah Grant, Salt Lake City, August 7, 1853

      Here are some thoughts on Jesus being married by other leaders of the Church:

 Journal of Discourses 2:82-83; “It will be borne in mind that once on a time, there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and on a careful reading of that transaction, it will be discovered that no less a person than Jesus Christ was married on that occasion. If he was never married, his intimacy with Mary and Martha, and the other Mary also whom Jesus loved, must have been highly unbecoming and improper to say the best of it.” – Orson Hyde, Salt Lake City, October 6, 1854

 Journal of Discourses 2:210; “I discover that some of the Eastern papers represent me as a great blasphemer, because I said, in my lecture on Marriage, at our last Conference, that Jesus Christ was married at Cana of Galilee, that Mary, Martha, and others were his wives, and that he begat children….All that I have to say in reply to that charge is this—they worship a Savior that is too pure and holy to fulfil the commands of his Father. I worship one that is just pure and holy enough “to fulfil all righteousness;” not only the righteous law of baptism, but the still more righteous and important law “to multiply and replenish the earth.” Startle not at this! for even the Father himself honored that law by coming down to Mary, without a natural body, and begetting a son; and if Jesus begat children, he only “did that which he had seen his Father do.”” – Orson Hyde, Salt Lake City, March 18, 1855

 Journal of Discourses 4:259; “It will be borne in mind that once on a time, there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and on a careful reading of that transaction, it will be discovered that no less a person than Jesus Christ was married on that occasion. If he was never married, his intimacy with Mary and Martha, and the other Mary also whom Jesus loved, must have been highly unbecoming and improper to say the best of it.” – Orson Hyde, Salt Lake City

 Journal of Discourses 13:309; “This same truth is borne out by the Savior. Said he, when talking to his disciples: “He that hath seen me hath seen the Father;” and, “I and my Father are one.” The Scripture says that He, the Lord, came walking in the Temple, with His train; I do not know who they were, unless His wives and children; but at any rate they filled the Temple, and how many there were who could not get into the Temple I cannot say. This is the account given by Isaiah, whether he told the truth or not I leave every body to judge for himself.” – Brigham Young, Salt Lake City, November 13, 1870

 The Seer, pg. 172; “… it will be seen that the great Messiah who was the founder of the Christian religion was a polygamist… the Messiah chose… by marrying many honorable wives himself, to show to all future generations that he approbated the plurality of wives under the Christian dispensation in which His polygamist ancestors lived.
“We have clearly show that God the Father had a plurality of wives, one or more being in eternity, by whom He begat our spirits as well as the spirit of Jesus His First Born, and another being upon the earth by whom He begat the tabernacle of Jesus, as his only begotten in this world. We have also proved most clearly that the Son followed the example of his Father, and became the great Bridegroom to whom Kings’ daughters and many honorable wives were to be married. We have also proved that both God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ inherit their wives in eternity as well as in time… And then it would be so shocking to the modesty of the very pious ladies of Christendom to see Abraham and his wives, Jacob and his wives, Jesus and his honorable wives, all eating occasionally at the same table, and visiting one another, and conversing about their numerous children and their kingdoms. Oh, ye delicate ladies of Christendom, how can you endure such a scene as this?… If you do not want your morals corrupted, and your delicate ears shocked, and your pious modesty put to the blush by the society of Polygamists and their wives, do not venture near the New Earth; for polygamists will be honored there, and will be among the chief rules in that Kingdom.” – Orson Pratt

     If you’d like prayer or further information about the LDS Church e-mail michelle@lifeafter.org or call us toll free @ 877.362.2751. 

    With Love in Christ;

Michelle Grim

1 Cor. 1:18

Leading Mormons to the Real Jesus Christ …

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 1. http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/religion/2526324/posts

 Jesus Christ was baptized and “sealed” to Mary Magdalene in the Salt Lake (Mormon) Temple

 By Helen Radkey © Copyright 2010, Helen Radkey June 1, 2010

 Jesus of Nazareth, also known as Jesus Christ, or simply Jesus, is the central figure of Christianity. The life and sermons of Jesus form the basis of the Christian faith. Jesus Christ is recognized by believing Christians as God incarnate, the Son of God who was raised from the dead—the Redeemer of mankind—the most important figure in history.

 According to Mormon doctrine, Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world. However, it seems that even the perceived Savior of the world is not exempt from LDS temple rituals. Proxy rites for Jesus Christ were performed in the Salt Lake (LDS) Temple in Utah, in April 2010.

 The Salt Lake Temple, located on Temple Square in the heart of Mormon-dominated Salt Lake City, was dedicated on April 6, 1893—three years before Utah became a state in 1896—and is one of the oldest of the 132 currently operating temples that are owned and maintained by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS.)

 New FamilySearch is the online genealogy database of the LDS Church that contains updated details of LDS temple ordinances that have been done for dead people. There are multiple listings for Jesus Christ in New FamilySearch—under different versions of his identity—which have been submitted by individual Mormons. It is not known how many times Jesus has been subjected to LDS rites because all New FamilySearch records for him—including combined records—show LDS ordinance details as “Not Available.”

 On May 27, 2010, there were two similar records for Jesus in New FamilySearch which had been submitted by the same person. One listing was titled “Jesus Christian,” and showed “Jesus Christian” was born “before 1500 Bethlehem, Israel,” and died “before 1550 Jerusalem, Israel.” LDS ordinances were tagged as “Not available” on this record.

 The other entry was for “Jesus Cristian,” who was born “before 1502 Bethlehem, Israel,” and died “before 1539 Jerusalem, Israel.” The entry for “Jesus Cristian” gave a description of LDS ordinances, along with the name of a spouse—“Maria Magdelena.”

 “Jesus Cristian” was baptized and confirmed a member of the LDS Church by proxy on April 8, 2010 in the “Salt Lake City Utah Temple.” “Jesus Cristian” was also subjected to initiatory temple ordinances on April 8, 2010; an endowment ceremony on April 9, 2010; and a marriage “sealing” to “spouse” “Maria Magdelena” on April 9, 2010—all rites occurred in the “Salt Lake City Utah Temple.”

  It appears the submissions for “Jesus Christian,” and “Jesus Cristian” were attempts to manipulate the identity of Jesus Christ through the LDS temple system. The misspelled “Cristian,” instead of “Christian,” could have been a typo, or a deliberate error. It may have been intentionally entered as “Cristian” to get around a computer program that automatically blocks submissions that contain the names “Jesus Christ.” That would explain why the entry for “Jesus Christian” shows LDS ordinances as “Not available.”

 While both New FamilySearch records in question lack complete birth and death data, and give imprecise “before” years of these events—the first name “Jesus” combined with the surnames “Christian” and “Cristian” (both spins on the name of “Christ”) are signs that “Jesus Christian” and “Jesus Cristian” are pseudonyms for Jesus Christ.

 Other indicators on the New FamilySearch records that point to Jesus Christ are the birth place, “Bethlehem,” and the death location, “Jerusalem.” (Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem and died outside the walls of old Jerusalem.) Another clue to the identity of “Jesus Cristian” is the name of his “spouse”—“Maria Magdelena,” a misspelled variant of Mary Magdalene. “Maria Magdelena” is not listed on the “Jesus Christian” record.

 Because “Jesus Christian” and “Jesus Cristian” have similar names and identical birth and death locations—“Bethlehem” and “Jerusalem,” they are probably the same person.

Their birth and death years are similar, but not the same. The estimated dates listed for these events look like they have been fabricated. According to their New FamilySearch records, “Jesus Christian” and “Jesus Cristian” were born and died in the 16th century. “Jesus Christian” lived roughly 50 years, while “Jesus Cristian” died in his thirties.

 On May 27, 2010, “Maria Magdelena” was listed in New FamilySearch with her birth date as “1504 Israel,” and death date as “before 1540 Israel.” Both years are likely inventions. Along with “spouse” “Jesus Cristian,” “Maria Magdelena” was baptized and confirmed a member of the LDS Church by proxy on April 8, 2010 in the “Salt Lake City Utah Temple.” She was subjected to initiatory temple ordinances on April 8, 2010; an endowment ceremony on April 9, 2010; and the marriage “sealing” to “Jesus Cristian” on April 9, 2010—all rites were done in the “Salt Lake City Utah Temple.”

 Mary Magdalene is described in the New Testament as a faithful follower of Jesus. Because the concept of marriage is strongly emphasized in LDS teachings, the notion that a spousal relationship existed between Jesus and Mary Magdalene is common among Mormons—although that belief is not formal LDS doctrine. There is no reliable historical evidence to indicate that Jesus was married—to Mary Magdalene, or anyone else.

 LDS Church officials have publicly stated that the New FamilySearch program is a technological deterrent to improper submissions. Yet—under their very noses—on Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Jesus Christ—under a false name—two millennia after his birth, was offered Mormon salvation and an erroneous eternal marriage sealing.

 Sometime late in the day on May 27, 2010, the individual entries for “Jesus Cristian” and “Maria Magdelena” were scrubbed from New FamilySearch—concealing the evidence that LDS rites had recently been performed for these two names in the Salt Lake Temple. The sudden disappearance of these records is a strong indication that “Jesus Cristian” and “Maria Magdelena” represent Jesus Christ and Mary Magdalene.

 © Copyright 2010, Helen Radkey—Permission is granted to reproduce, provided content is not changed and this copyright notice is included.

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Interesting Facts of the 3-in-1, pt. 5

Posted in Interesting Facts of the 3-in-1, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 01/12/2011| Leave a Comment »

Interesting Facts about the 3 in 1, pt. 5      

 The reason for this work and ministry is threefold.

     3-in-1The first is to bring honor and glory to our Lord God Jesus Christ in all that we do.  The second is to provide information from the LDS Church to its members in a cohesive manner to help answer their questions.  And the third is to provide our Christian readers with truthful information about the LDS Church they can use as an effective tool for witnessing to those caught in the lies of the evil one.

     I cannot begin to tell you, the reader, how many times we’ve cried for the situation the Mormons find themselves in because we were once there ourselves and know how desperate it feels.

     Oh if I could find a way to articulate to them how much Jesus truly loves them!  And how I pray our Lord will continue to lift our heads in encouragement for those who are lost.

     The series of articles “Interesting Facts about the 3-in-1” (or triple combination) are a simple tool to get a quick glance of how the Mormon Church deliberately chooses to confuse its members.

     As I write this there is a picture of some of my family members on my laptop and my heart breaks they cannot see these simple truths.  My mother and grandmother look beyond tired.  The dark circles under their eyes speak silently to the decades of disappointments and fears.  A cousin of mine that is three years my junior looks twenty years older than me.

     Heavenly Father tells us that His word does not come back void in Isaiah 55:11.  I pray each day they will remember the glorious message of God’s love for them I was able to share when they allowed me to take their pictures just a year ago.  Twenty-eight of them gathered for a family picnic last summer…that picture sits next to my open document on the desktop of my computer screen.

     I pray you’ll be able to use these discrepancies in their own sacred works to ask them what they think.  While a few of the items provided do not come from the Triple Combination they are easy enough to find on the web.

     All materials used come directly from LDS Church writings.

 With Love in Christ;

Michelle

Jude 1:24-25  …

 Born into Sin or Born Perfect?

 1 Nephi 20:8; “Yea, and thou heardest not; yea, thou knewest not; yea, from that time thine ear was not opened; for I knew that thou wouldst deal very treacherously, and wast called a transgressor from the womb.”

D&C 29:47; “Wherefore, they cannot sin, for power is not given unto Satan to tempt little children, until they begin to become accountable before me.”

Romans 3:23; “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”

 Ephraim, does he or does he not have descendants?

 2 Nephi 17:8-9; “For the head of Syria is Damascus, and the head of Damascus, Rezin; and within three score and five years shall Ephraim be broken that it be not a people.    9 And the head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head of Samaria is Remaliah’s son. If ye will not believe surely ye shall not be established.” – BC 559 to 545

Answers to Gospel Questions 1:140; “Latter-day Saints pride themselves because they are of Israel; but they are also of the Gentiles. We are the descendants of those members of the house of Israel who were scattered among the Gentiles to be a blessing to the Gentile nations and make them of the blood of Israel through the gospel… The Book of Mormon came by way of the Prophet Joseph Smith, a descendant of Ephraim, yet it came “by way of the Gentile,” and in the time of the Gentiles.

Hosea 9:11-17;  “As for Ephraim, their glory shall fly away like a bird, from the birth, and from the womb, and from the conception.12 Though they bring up their children, yet will I bereave them, that there shall not be a man left: yea, woe also to them when I depart from them! 13 Ephraim, as I saw Tyrus, is planted in a pleasant place: but Ephraim shall bring forth his children to the murderer. 14 Give them, O LORD: what wilt thou give? give them a miscarrying womb and dry breasts. 15 All their wickedness is in Gilgal: for there I hated them: for the wickedness of their doings I will drive them out of mine house, I will love them no more: all their princes are revolters. 16 Ephraim is smitten, their root is dried up, they shall bear no fruit: yea, though they bring forth, yet will I slay even the beloved fruit of their womb. 17 My God will cast them away, because they did not hearken unto him: and they shall be wanderers among the nations.”

 Who is King?

D&C 38:21-22; “But, verily I say unto you that in time ye shall have no king nor ruler, for I will be your king and watch over you. 22 Wherefore, hear my voice and follow me, and you shall be a free people, and ye shall have no laws but my laws when I come, for I am your lawgiver, and what can stay my hand?”

Times & Seasons 5:618; “…to build up the kingdom upon the foundation that the prophet Joseph has laid, who still holds the keys of this last dispensation, and will hold them to all eternity, as a king and priest unto the most high God, ministering in heaven, on earth, or among the spirits of the departed dead, as seemeth good to him who sent him.”

Improvement Era 1909, Vol Xiii, No. 1; “Every man reigns a king over the kingdom of—self. He wears the crown of individuality that no hands but his own can ever remove. He should not only reign, but—rule. His individuality is his true self, his best self, his highest self, his self victorious…Man reigns over this miniature kingdom of self—alone. He is as much an autocrat as is God in ruling the universe. No one can make him good or evil but he, himself.”

1 Timothy 1:17; “Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.”

 Baptism for Dead not Necessary

 2 Nephi 9:38; “And, in fine, wo unto all those who die in their sins; for they shall return to God, and behold his face, and remain in their sins.”

D&C 124:29-30; “For a baptismal font there is not upon the earth, that they, my saints, may be baptized for those who are dead—30 For this ordinance belongeth to my house, and cannot be acceptable to me, only in the days of your poverty, wherein ye are not able to build a house unto me.”

Isaiah 64:6; “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.”

 Bible is Eternal

 2 Nephi 9:16; “And assuredly, as the Lord liveth, for the Lord God hath spoken it, and it is his eternal word, which cannot pass away.”

8th Article of Faith; “We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God.”

Matthew 5:18; “For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.”

Matt. 24:35; “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.”

Prov. 30:5-6; “Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. 6 Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.”

 Mormon god cannot keep promise

Mosiah 27:13; “Nevertheless he cried again, saying: Alma, arise and stand forth, for why persecutest thou the church of God? For the Lord hath said: This is my church, and I will establish it; and nothing shall overthrow it, save it is the transgression of my people.”

Psalm 31:23; “O love the LORD, all ye his saints: for the LORD preserveth the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer.”

Psalm 37:28-29; “For the LORD loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off.  29 The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein for ever.”

 Mormon Jesus Says No to Food Storage

3 Nephi 13:31; “Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?”

D&C 109:8; “Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing, and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God.”

Matthew 6:31-32; “Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.”

 Biggest Lie (one of them anyway) in Mormonism

Ether 12:11-12; “Wherefore, by faith was the law of Moses given. But in the gift of his Son hath God prepared a more excellent way; and it is by faith that it hath been fulfilled. 12 For if there be no faith among the children of men God can do no miracle among them; wherefore, he showed not himself until after their faith.”

Matthew 5:45; “That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.”

Romans 3:3-4; “For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect?  4 God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.”

 Honestly, how is this “inspired”?

Moroni 10:1; “Now I, Moroni, write somewhat as seemeth me good…”

Jarom 1:1-2; “Now behold, I, Jarom, write a few words according to the commandment of my father, Enos, that our genealogy may be kept.  2 And as these plates are small, and as these things are written for the intent of the benefit of our brethren the Lamanites, wherefore, it must needs be that I write a little; but I shall not write the things of my prophesying, nor of my revelations. For what could I write more than my fathers have written? For have not they revealed the plan of salvation? I say unto you, Yea; and this sufficeth me.”

1 Nephi 6:3; “And it mattereth not to me that I am particular to give a full account of all the things of my father, for they cannot be written upon these plates, for I desire the room that I may write of the things of God.”

Jacob 1:1-2; “Nephi gave me, Jacob, a commandment concerning the small plates, upon which these things are engraven. 2 And he gave me, Jacob, a commandment that I should write upon these plates a few of the things which I considered to be most precious”

Omni 1:1; “Behold, it came to pass that I, Omni, being commanded by my father, Jarom, that I should write somewhat upon these plates, to preserve our genealogy.”

2 Peter 1:20-21; “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.  21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.”

 Who Visited Joseph that Night – Moroni or Nephi?

Introductory page of D&C 1976, 3rd paragraph; “This took place in the early spring of 1820.  In September, 1823, and at later times, Joseph Smith received visitations from Moroni, an angel of light, who revealed the resting place of the ancient record from which The Book of Mormon was afterward translated.”

Joseph Smith History 1:32-33; “The room was exceedingly light, but not so very bright as immediately around his person. When I first looked upon him, I was afraid; but the fear soon left me.  33 He called me by name, and said unto me that he was a messenger sent from the presence of God to me, and that his name was Moroni; that God had a work for me to do; and that my name should be had for good and evil…”

Times and Seasons, vol. 3 (November 1841 – October 1842): pg. 753; “The room was exceedingly light, but not so very bright as immediately around his person. When I first looked upon him I was afraid, but the fear soon left me. He called me by name, and said unto me that he was a messenger sent from the presence of God to me, and that his name was Nephi. That God had a work for me to do, and that my name should be had for good and evil…”

2 Cor. 11:13-15; “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.  14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.  15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.”

 

 

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Joseph Smith, Martyrdom of

Posted in Martyrdom of, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on 01/11/2011| 4 Comments »

Martyrdom of Joseph Smith

Carthage shootout Martyrdom:  the act of extreme suffering; torment.

 Martyr:  a person who willingly suffers death rather than renounce his or her religion.  One who makes great sacrifices or suffers much in order to further a belief, cause or principle.

      The definitions of martyr and martyrdom above will serve as the foundation of what we’re looking at today for this subject matter.  The Mormon Church has emphatically defended their position that Joseph Smith fulfilled the requirements of martyrdom.  I thought it’d behoove us to look at how people in history have indeed become martyrs for the Lord and compare those alongside the case of Joseph Smith.

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Tip of the Day, November 24

Posted in Witnessing Tip of the Day, tagged , , , , , , , , on 11/24/2010| Leave a Comment »

November 24 – John 15:13-15; “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.  Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.”

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Communication is the fundamental key when having a relationship with anyone, whether it is a friend, a spouse, your child, or your boss.  You can’t have a relationship without this key component.  The way we communicate with Jesus therefore, would be through prayer.  Sometimes this is one of the hardest things to understand coming out of Mormonism.  It’s really okay to communicate directly with Jesus!

Read here how the Church explains to their people the proper guidelines in having a relationship with Jesus.

_____

“I shall speak of our relationship with the Lord and of the true fellowship all Saints should have with the Father. I shall set forth what we must believe relative to the Father and the Son in order to gain eternal life… Another peril is that those so involved often begin to pray directly to Christ because of some special friendship they feel has been developed.  And you have never heard one of the First Presidency or the Twelve, who hold the keys of the kingdom, and who are appointed to see that we are not “tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine” (Ephesians 4:14)–you have never heard one of them advocate this excessive zeal that calls for gaining a so-called special and personal relationship with Christ.” – Speech given on, March 2, 1982 at BYU by Bruce R. McConkie – Quorum of the Twelve.

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Mormon Doctrine vs. Mormon Gospel

Posted in Doctrine, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on 11/08/2010| 1 Comment »

A few weeks ago I received an e-mail through the Life After Ministries website.  This gentleman informed me that quoting from the LDS authorized book Mortal Messiah, written by Bruce McConkie, was proof I didn’t know the difference between Mormon doctrine and the gospel.  I would respond to him privately but he’s blocked my IP address on his computer.

Okay then.

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Mentoring Handbook Chapter 20

Posted in Mentoring Handbook, tagged , , , , , , , , on 10/22/2010| Leave a Comment »

ROMANS ROAD

The ROMANS ROAD is a pathway you can walk.

It is a group of bible verses from the book of Romans in the New Testament.

If you walk down this road you will end up understanding how to be saved.

Romans 3:23

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

We all have sin in our hearts. We all were born with sin.  We were born under the power of sin’s control.

Admit that you are a sinner. 

(KJV For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;)

Romans 6:23a

“…The wages of sin is death…”

Sin has an ending. It results in death. We all face physical death, which is a result of sin.

But a worse death is spiritual death that alienates us from God, and will last for all eternity.

The Bible does plainly teach that there is a place called the Lake of Fire where lost people will be in torment forever.

It is the place where people end up that remain spiritually dead.

Understand that you deserve death for your sin.

Romans 6:23b

“…But the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Salvation is a free gift from God to you!   We can’t earn this gift, but we must reach out and receive it.

Ask God to forgive you and save you. 

(KJV23For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.)

Romans 5:8

“God demonstrates His own love for us, in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us!”

When Jesus died on the cross He paid sin’s penalty.  He paid the cosmic price for all sin, and when He took all the sins of the world on Himself on the cross, He bought us out of slavery to sin and death!   The only condition is that we believe in Him and what He has done for us, understanding that we are now joined with Him, and that He is our life.

Because He loved us and gave Himself for us!

Give your life to God… His love poured out in Jesus on the cross is your only hope to have forgiveness and change. His love bought you out of being a slave to sin. His love is what saves you. Not religion, or church membership.

God loves you! And reaches you right where you are.

Romans 10:13

“Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved!”

Call out to God in the name of Jesus!

Romans 10:9,10

“…If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead, you shall be saved; for with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.” 

If you know that God is knocking on your heart door,

ask Him to come into your heart.

Jesus said,

Revelation 3:20a

“Behold I stand at the door and knock, if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him…”

Is Jesus knocking on your heart’s door?

Believe in Him.  Ask Him to come in to your heart by faith, and ask Him to reveal Himself to you. Open the bible to the gospel of John and read what God says about Jesus, about you, and about being born again.

God will help you.  Just talk to Him.  He loves you.

You need to look for a local church where God’s word is preached. The bible says that we are to desire God’s word like a newborn baby desires mother’s milk.

Aren’t you hungry to know the truth?

Water baptism is one of the ways you first show that you have been joined to Jesus. The symbolism is this: When you go down in the water you show that you have been crucified and buried with Him, And when you come up out of the water you show that you have been raised to walk with Him in newness of life.   (See Romans chapter 6)

You have been born again.   (See John chapter 3)  Your body has become God’s temple.  Your heart is where He lives.  Forgiveness is yours in Jesus.  And you belong to Him.  You were sin’s slave.   But now…You are a child of GOD!

John 1:12

“As many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God,

even to those who believe in His name.”

Well dear ones, that’s it!  We are praying for each of you and our hearts go out to all those who are ensnared in the lies of Mormonism.  I am sure you the mentor, as well as the ex-Mormon, will have thought of subjects we didn’t touch on.  In that regard we would love to hear from you!  Also keep in touch to let us know how your new lives in the Lord are coming along!

We praise our God for you the mentor and express our deepest gratitude for your undying service to Him! 

Jude 1:24-25; “Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.”

1 Corinthians 1:18-19; “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.  For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.”

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Mentoring Handbook Chapter 10

Posted in Mentoring Handbook, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 10/22/2010| Leave a Comment »

GUILT AND SHAME

Witnessing Tip of the Day Guilt & Shame Is 617Mormons live life on the precept they must work for salvation. In Mormonism there’s a ‘general salvation’ given to all mankind, and after this comes the placement of souls which is dependent upon good works here on earth.

This may cause a myriad of problems as you might imagine, so our focus is on the impact this has on the soul.

There are several ways to work for  salvation, but for now I’m only listing a few.

The Mormon will always feel shame if they’re not accepted into the highest level of heaven – this is known also as the Celestial Kingdom, and there are three requirements to get in; temple marriage, good works which includes proxy work for the dead, and the third requirement is to pay a full ten percent tithing.

The most important ‘must’ in getting to the Celestial Kingdom is making sure you are married in the temple. Yes, marriage is the way to salvation ladies and gentlemen. If you aren’t married in the temple, you lose your right to see your relatives in heaven, you’ll be placed in a lower kingdom; only to become a servant to those in the Celestial Kingdom.

There are the remaining two things required for “true salvation”, but keep in mind marriage is a definite must in the mind of every single Mormon. From the series, Doctrines of Salvation, 2:58-59 it says;

“Marriage, as understood by Latter-day Saints, is a covenant ordained to be everlasting. It is the foundation for eternal exaltation, for without it there could be no eternal progress in the kingdom of God…Marriage is the grandest, most glorious, and most exalting principle connected with the gospel. It is that which the Lord holds in reserve for those who become his sons and daughters; all others are servants only, even if they gain salvation. They do not become members of the household of our Father…”

LDS theology dictates you’ll receive a calling from the Lord to work in different areas of the Church. The bishop will take a look at his list of who’ served where, and for how long. If your name hasn’t appeared on the list of who’s worked in the nursery for example, you should expect your phone to ring. You cannot refuse this ‘calling from the Lord’.

The structure of the Church is made up of lay clergymen, and women, so there’s no compensation for your hours spent working until you’ve been called to the status of high priest, or above.

The Encyclopedia of Mormonism, p. 48 –

“The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is organized to benefit all who participate, and all are expected to assist in its labors (see Activity in the Church; Lay Participation and Leadership; Ward Organization). The Church is administered according to the principles of individual involvement, service, and self-government. There is no paid ministry in local wards or stakes, and the work of the Church is carried out through volunteer service by the members, who are called by priesthood leaders to contribute in various capacities.”

LDS theology also dictates you must tithe a hard 10% to receive a temple recommend.

These small slips of paper are coveted by members of the Church as their token of being righteous and worthy enough, to be in God’s presence. It is God’s permission slip for you to get in the doors.

There is no higher calling in the Church than to hold a current temple recommend and they can keep their recommend only if they have a good standing at the ‘annual tithing settlement’.

For those who haven’t divvied up by January, there’s a line at local banks with people applying for personal loans.

D&C 119:4 says;

“And after that, those who have thus been tithed shall pay one-tenth of all their interest annually; and this shall be a standing law unto them forever, for my holy priesthood, saith the Lord.”

Also see Encyclopedia of Mormonism, p. 1481 –

“At the end of each year, ward members meet individually with their bishop in a tithing settlement interview to verify Church records of their individual contributions and to declare confidentially to the bishop whether or not the amount contributed is a “full tithe.””

The members are obligated to pay their ten percent, and this amount goes solely to the Church for more church buildings, temples, supplies, etc. Additionally, once a month they hold a ‘fast and testimony’ meeting.

Members will fast from food for two meals before they attend these meetings, and take the money they would have spent on that food to donate to a benevolent fund. These funds go to help the needy in their local food banks, or if there are special needs within their own ranks.

There’s a fair share of people who won’t be able to meet the financial standards of giving the Church requires.

These things will produce the inevitable; guilt and shame. For others, there might be guilt and shame experienced if they’re a convert and get out of the Church.

Or there is the guilt associated with converting others into the Church, and/or bringing children into the mix. Many adult ex-Mormons are riddled with shame by watching their adult children making the choice of staying in the Church after they have been saved. It’s heart-wrenching no doubt, to see them still in the Church when you’ve found freedom in Christ.

Several years ago while working through my exodus, the Lord showed me an amazing truth. It’s an easy enough thing to remember which is good for me! But it also packs a powerful punch in the way of a learning tool for any of us in regards to our own spiritual life with Jesus. He showed me this:

Guilt and Shame are Never the Same.

It rhymes, making it easy to remember.

Guilt and God both begin with “G”. God convicts us of our sin – this is the guilt – we repent, and He remembers it no more as He promised us in Isaiah 43:25;

“I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.”

Shame and Satan both begin with an “S”. Shame is death to the soul dear one! Shame is experienced when you repent for the same sin repeatedly. Dictionary.com defines it this way –

‘…the painful feeling arising from the consciousness of something dishonorable, improper, ridiculous, etc., done by oneself or another to publicly humiliate or shame for being or doing something specified’.

Isn’t it sad this is what the Church would want for the majority of its members? Less than 10% of active Mormons are considered temple worthy! The bishop knows who’s worthy, and who’s not; and you can bet the farm everyone else in the ward will know as well when you don’t stand up to ‘bear your testimony’ about your temple experience last month. Yet no one gets together to compare notes because the temple experience is also considered ‘sacred’ and shouldn’t be spoken about in detail with anyone at all.

In Deut. 28:66 God warns the Israelites that He would curse them if they didn’t obey His commands of staying pure in the land of Canaan. The curse is not having a restful assurance of their lives.

Ask the ex-Mormon what kind of assurance they had for their salvation while being in the Church. I don’t know of one Mormon who can say for sure that they’re going to heaven.

They have no hope at all because of shame; they never feel as if they’ve been forgiven, or believe they’ve not done enough. Share with the ex-Mormon from the Bible how they can be assured of their salvation.

2 Tim. 1:12 – I know whom I have believed

Phil. 1:6 – He will complete the work

Heb. 13:5-6 – He will never desert me

1 John 2:12 – Your sins are forgiven.

Isaiah 40:8 – The word of God endures forever

© 2017 Life After Ministries, Inc.

Link for Chapter 11:

Chapter 11. Denouncing Mormonism

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Mentoring Handbook Chapter 4

Posted in Mentoring Handbook, tagged , , , , , , , , on 10/22/2010| Leave a Comment »

THE TRUTH ABOUT JESUS

      From its inception, the LDS Church has maintained that Jesus Christ is a son of God.  While they say they are Christians by showing Him partiality; calling Him the first born; and proclaiming they worship Him; the evidence of their doctrine tells a different story.

When you ask a Mormon if they believe that Jesus is God they will answer with a resounding “NO”!  When you ask them who they believe Jesus is, they will reply with; He is (the) Christ, God’s Only Begotten Son.  I remember the first time I had heard that Jesus is God.  A friend of mine asked me if I believed in the Trinity.  I had never heard of that word before so I asked her to define it for me.

She said; “Jesus is God incarnate (in the flesh)”.  Well, needless to say that I had never felt so small and insignificant in my life and that feeling stayed with me for quite some time afterward.

If you ask a Mormon if they believe Jesus died for their sins, they will say, “Oh yes”!  And then go on to tell you they also believe He was resurrected on the third day.

When you ask them if they are Christians, they will tell you they most certainly are and the proof is that “His name is in the title of their church”; The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  [1] They will also tell you that they prefer to be called “a member of the LDS Church” instead of “Mormon”.  If you’re confused don’t feel alone; so are they.

I personally find it interesting that the title they now prefer doesn’t include Jesus’ name.  Notice; “I’m a Latter-day Saint” or they have told me “I’m LDS” – where is Jesus in all of this?

Some of the most blasphemous teachings about Jesus in “these latter days” have been promulgated by the doctrines of the LDS Church.  I guarantee that as you continue to go through the various steps of mentoring and layers of lies begin unraveling, you will understand.

When you are mentoring an ex-Mormon it may seem daunting to approach or get through this part of it, but don’t be dismayed.  I have yet to find a Mormon that doesn’t love Jesus to the very core of their being.  If I had a shred of doubt about this I wouldn’t be in this ministry.  The entire reason I do this is because I am one hundred percent convinced they do love Jesus!

Above all in this chapter, be sure to show your enthusiasm about Jesus.  You’re not a mentor because you’ve begrudgingly accepted the position, so don’t give them a subdued “Tom” or a mellow “Susan”; just be yourself!  Go out of your way to show them “faith in action” and how you live your everyday life having a personal relationship with Jesus.

One of the reasons this book ever came to be is because of an “everyday Christian”.  My good friend Fran befriended me at church not long after I got saved.  Everyone in my new Christian church welcomed me warmly and showed me much grace and kindness.

Kirk, the girls and I were invited to various homes for fellowship and all the programs they offered at the church; but not one single person I met had ever personally known a Mormon.  Out of the congregation of roughly 250 there were only a handful of women that took me aside to help and only one or two from that group truly sat with me on a consistent basis to help show me how to have an intimate relationship with the Lord.

We understand it might seem overwhelming to anyone that has no experience with Mormonism.  What you want to keep in mind is that the mentor doesn’t necessarily have to know intimate details about Mormonism and most certainly the Christian mentor doesn’t need to be a psychoanalyst!  You’re there to serve and accept them in the spiritual condition they’ve found themselves in; right here, right now, right at this moment.

God has orchestrated your paths to cross at this time for His purpose; not ours.  The spiritual warfare will have certainly made an appearance by now as you’ve gone through this mentoring book with your Mormon friend or loved one.  If it hasn’t done so yet, then you can count on it as you dig deeper into the Bible with them.  Now is the time to really make sure you’re side by side with them in prayer and as a show of spiritual strength they can learn from as they discover the truth about Jesus.  If they can just capture a tiny bit of whom He really is, their lives will never be the same!  God does all the work inside of their minds and hearts; we’re just pointing them in the right direction.

Remember the story of how Aaron and Hur held up the arms of Moses during his prayer to God Almighty?  You may want to share the story as a visual of you standing by their side encouraging and praying while they fight the battles of their exodus from Mormonism.

The story of Moses’ prayer and Israel’s success in the battle against Amalek will give them hope.  The passage comes from Exodus 17:1-12.  There is going to be a two-pronged lesson learned by using this passage.  The Amalekites were descendants of Esau and were the first group of people the Israelites had to fight after crossing the Red Sea. This exodus process is probably the first battle they’ll have in their new walk with Christ.

      Sharing a few tidbits of the goodness and truth found in the OT as you go along will help those put things into perspective as they learn how to cultivate and grow their relationship with our Savior.  It’s not that the Mormons are merely unaware of how to have this relationship with Jesus when they get out of Mormonism; they are actually trained not to do this as Mormons!  They believe that He was here to show that He was perfect and had to “earn” His own way to godhood.  He is their “example” for their path to their own godhood status.  Doctrines of Salvation 1:32;

 “Our Savior was a God before he was born into this world, and he brought with him that same status when he came here. He was as much a God when he was born into the world as he was before.”

     Again, while I know that it seems I may be “beating a dead horse”, allow me to reiterate; they cannot have a personal relationship with the Jesus of the Bible, if the Mormon or ex-Mormon doesn’t know the truth about Him.

In many ways I am a visual-type student so I created a side-by-side chart comparing the doctrines of the LDS Church and the doctrines of God which I took from the Bible.

These basic teachings that I’ve chosen to list here weren’t pulled from some dusty old books that went unread for centuries or even decades.  On the contrary, the teachings I’ve listed here are just some of the things I was taught and buried deep in my heart while growing up as a sixth generation Mormon in Ogden, Utah.

BIBLE/TRUTH LDS/LIES
God incarnate:  John 1:1, 14 – (the Word) “…Father, Son, HG crammed into one God…could be monster…” TPJS, pg. 372    [1]
Mighty God:  Isaiah 9:6 “…Jesus is a god…” DOS 1:32 [2]
God of the whole earth:  Isaiah 54:5 “Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God”.  Introductory page of BoM
Ancient of Days:  Jer. 7:13-4 “…Adam is Ancient of Days…” EOM, pg. 16 [3]

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Ensign of the people:  Is. 11:10 “Joseph Smith has done more, save Jesus…for the salvation of men…”  D&C 135:3
Friend of sinners:  Matt. 11:19 “…Jesus is not our friend…”Apostle McConkie, 1982  [4]
The Great “I AM”:  John 8:58 & Ex. 3:14 “Man was also in the beginning with God. Intelligence, or the light of truth, was not created or made, neither indeed can be.” D&C 93:29
Our Passover:  1 Cor. 5:7 “…some sins beyond reach of Christ’s blood…” DOS 1:134  [5]
Image of the invisible God:  Col. 1:15 “The Father has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as man’s; the Son also…” D&C 130:22

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Mediator of a better covenant:  Heb. 8:6 “…Jesus was Great High Priest; Adam next…”  Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pg. 158.
True God:  1 John 5:20 “I have always declared God to be a distinct personage, Jesus Christ a separate and distinct personage from God the Father, and that the Holy Ghost was a distinct personage and a Spirit, and these three constitute three distinct personages and three Gods.”  HoC 6:474 
Creator: Gen. 1:23, 26 “…earth was organized by three distinct characters, namely, Eloheim, Yahovah, and Michael…” Journal of Discourses 1: 51.
Born in Bethlehem: Matt. 2:1 Born in Jerusalem Alma 7:10
His blood of the New Covenant  Matt. 26:28 “…His great suffering was before he ever was placed upon the cross. It was in the Garden of Gethsemane that the blood oozed from the pores…” DoS 1:130

Notes____________________________________________________________________

Lamb of God:  John 1:29, 36 Jesus is Lucifer’s brother:  Gospel Through the Ages, pg. 15
“The cross is foolishness to those who are perishing…” 1 Cor. 1:18 “…such a custom is repugnant and contrary to the true worship of our Savior…” AGQ 4:17

For all LDS references in full contextual proof see Bibliography, Chapter Four footnotes.

Notes_________________________________________________________________________

Please note that while it may seem there are a few rabbit trails that I wander off on, remember that everything the Mormon knows is a lie; and I mean everything.  While the Bible talks about the Israelites going to battle against Amalek; in the Book of Mormon the Amalekites are the good guys in scriptural history.  Your sharing a small tidbit from the OT will be rich for them.

One integral part of Mormonism that you’ll want to address is Jesus’ name.  The Mormons only refer to Him as Christ, rarely by His given name of Jesus.  Explain to the Mormon that the word Christ is a title, not a name.  The first place in the Bible you’ll find this word is in Matthew 1:1;  “The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.”

In the Greek the word Christ is “Christos” and it means; the Messiah or anointed one.  It is from the Hebrew, Meshiah.   Also notice that listing the genealogy of Jesus establishes His right to the throne as it is evidence He came from the royal line of David.

Again, we’ll be looking at Matthew 1:1, as it is the first time the name of Jesus is mentioned. “The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.” Jesus is the Greek (and Latin) form of this name while it was originally of Hebrew origin.  In the Hebrew the name is Yehowshuwa (Joshua).  It means he will save; the deliverer; the Lord is salvation.  The name Yehowshuwa originally came from the name Yehovah (Jehovah).  This is the Jewish national name of God and it is understood that Jehovah is self-Existent or Eternal and that He is God.

LDS doctrine says that Jesus is Jehovah but they’ve also been taught to believe that Jesus (Jehovah) is not the same as ‘elohim’ (heavenly father).  They are taught that the godhead is made up of three distinct personages.

One of the ways Mormons have stripped Jesus’ personal identity from Him is by not referring to Him by His given name.  This way they don’t have to deal with the reality of whom He really was for the Israelites and who He became for the Gentiles.  Jehovah – He will save.  Not me, not you, not your spouse, nothing, nobody.  Jehovah will save.

Isn’t it strange they “play the same game” with their missionaries?  They’ve stripped their identities from them as well.  They go out as nameless faces with a suit, tie and nametag.  Whenever I speak with the missionaries I insist they give me their first names as this is how they are identified.  They wear their nametags stating they are “Elder so and so” and since they can’t all be named “Elder”, I break the ice using this method of making it personal for them.

So now we have established what the name “Jesus” means and what the word “Christ” means.  This is the foundation from where we begin to build our truth from this point forward.  Jesus is God who saves and will deliver.  Jesus is also the Messiah.

Encourage the new ex-Mormon they can now have a relationship that is built on a first name basis with Him!  If they haven’t done so yet, now would be a good time to pray with them to accept Jesus into their life.  At the end of this booklet is a copy of the “Romans Road”.  It is a group of scriptures to read and understand how to be saved.

Another suggestion would be to share with the ex-Mormon a few of the prophecies in the Old Testament about Jesus.  There are 333 prophecies about Jesus from the OT and every single one of them came true!  In Isaiah chapter 53 there are 48 prophecies about Jesus; from His mission to the way He would die are all in that one chapter of only twelve verses.  These are the things the Mormon has never heard of before.  Even on Easter their services are filled with stories of Joseph Smith and nothing about Jesus, the cross or the resurrection.

A couple that had visited Kirk and I a few years back shared their last Easter experience with us at the LDS Church.  They wanted so badly that Sunday to sit and hear about Jesus and actually told their two daughters to get excited to hear the news!  The only time they heard Jesus’ name mentioned was at the end of the perfunctory prayers they use at the end of taking Sacrament and when the bishop ended his talk he used Jesus’ name as a salutation.

That was it – they heard nothing about Jesus, the crucifixion or His resurrection.  No mention of the last supper, Judas’ betrayal or the incident in the Garden of Gethsemane when the disciples kept falling asleep; no mention of the trial, the scourging or the glorious and triumphant victory over death.  How sad for this family and what a letdown for their future outlook of the lives they’re expending on this false christ.

 LESSON PLAN FOR CHAPTER FOUR

 

1 – Name four LDS teachings about Jesus that weren’t listed in this chapter.  Refute the LDS’ doctrine you just listed by using Scripture.  (Don’t forget to use your skills of picking out “key words”.  You can get other facts from the website of www.lds.org)

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2 – What is the Hebrew form of the name Jesus?  Give proof by using Bible, Concordance or Lexicon

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3 – How many times if any did Jesus appear in the Old Testament and in what form?  Read Gen. 32:24-32 and give explanation of the name Israel.  Were there any other times Jesus appeared in the O.T.?

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4 – Give as many verses as you can from the Bible that gives a definitive explanation of the nature and/or character of Jesus.

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5 – What new teaching about Jesus was the ex-Mormon most shocked about?  Show a scripture from the Bible to refute the LDS teaching.  As always –we use scripture to claim authority over the lies of Satan and to help the ex-Mormon see that it was a “real teaching” not just something they made up on their own!

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6 – What teaching about Jesus in the LDS Church does the ex-Mormon miss the most and why?  Be sure this is a doctrine, not a tradition or something from the heritage/culture of Mormonism.  There are categories that seem to be intertwined at places that can’t be unwoven, but for now see what you can do with this one.  We’ll be addressing different culture subjects later in this study.

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7 – Does the ex-Mormon now have a new favorite teaching about Jesus that speaks to them personally?  If so, have them write it out here.  (Be sure to list “location” of the verse or passage.)

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© 2010 Life After Ministries, Inc.

Bibliography

Chapter Four:

LDS CHURCH

Jesus was Great High Priest and Adam next:

Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pg. 158; “How have we come at the Priesthood in the last days? It came down, down, in regular succession. Peter, James, and John had it given to them and they gave it to others. Christ is the Great High Priest; Adam next…”

Jesus is Only Begotten according to the flesh:

Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pg. 323; “Jesus Christ is the heir of this Kingdom—the Only Begotten of the Father according to the flesh, and holds the keys over all this world.”

The phrase “according to the flesh” is code talk meaning “through a sexual union”.

Jesus is our elder brother:

Encyclopedia of Mormonism, pg. 724; “In the premortal life, Jesus Christ, whose main title was Jehovah, was the firstborn spirit child of God the Father and thus the eldest brother and preeminent above all other spirit children of God. In that first estate, he came to be more intelligent than all other spirits, one “like unto God” (Abr. 3:19, 24), and served as the representative of the Father in the creation of “worlds without number” (Heb. 1:1-3; D&C 76:24; Moses 1:33; 7:30).”

Jesus and the cross:

Doctrines of Salvation 1:130; “We speak of the passion of Jesus Christ. A great many people have an idea that when he was on the cross, and nails were driven into his hands and feet, that was his great suffering. His great suffering was before he ever was placed upon the cross. It was in the Garden of Gethsemane that the blood oozed from the pores of his body…”

Jesus and Lucifer are brothers:

Gospel Through the Ages, pg. 15; “The appointment of Jesus to be the Savior of the world was contested by one of the other sons of God. He was called Lucifer, son of the morning.”

Also see Jesus the Christ, pg. 8; “Thus it is shown that prior to the placing of man upon the earth, how long before we do not know, Christ and Satan, together with the hosts of the spirit-children of God, existed as intelligent individuals.”

Jesus is not our friend:

The Apostle Bruce McConkie said this in a speech at BYU in March 1982;

“Another peril is that those so involved often begin to pray directly to Christ because of some special friendship they feel has been developed. In this connection a current and unwise book, which advocates gaining a special relationship with Jesus, contains this sentence: Because the Savior is our mediator, our prayers go through Christ to the Father, and the Father answers our prayers through his Son. This is plain sectarian nonsense.”

Link for Chapter 5:

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Mormon Ad Campaign

Posted in Mormon Ads, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 10/19/2010| Leave a Comment »

In the past month you may have noticed the new Mormon ads popping up during the commercial breaks of your favorite television shows. This new ad campaign is a nationwide endeavor by the Mormon Church to inform the world they’re just like everyone else. I find this very interesting considering the whole premise behind Mormonism is that you aren’t like everyone else.

     This coincidently goes against all I was taught sitting in the Mormon chapel for thirteen years. I was told I wasn’t like everyone else and special because I had the Mormon gospel; this alone made me different from any other person who wasn’t a member.

     I was counseled how to set myself apart from the rest of the world.  Obeying the Word of Wisdom (no coffee or sweet iced tea for meL), wearing temple garments and folding my arms during prayer served as a reminder to me that I was different. Their counsel even affected how long my shorts were and the length of my sleeves.

     To prove the point the Church does everything it can to send out contradictory messages, along comes an article in the August 2010 issue of the Ensign.  LDS Church leader Boyd K. Packer expressed his thoughts of how a member of the Mormon faith should conduct themselves.

“You will be safe if you look like and groom like and act like an ordinary Latter-day Saint: dress modestly, attend your meetings, pay tithes, take the sacrament, honor the priesthood, honor your parents, follow your leaders, read the scriptures, study the Book of Mormon, and pray—always pray. An unseen power will hold your hand as you hold to the iron rod.”(Boyd K. Packer, “Finding Ourselves in Lehi’s Dream,” Ensign, Aug 2010, pgs. 20–25)

     Compare that with people in the ads saying they’re a mom, a doctor, a skate boarder, a surfer, a dad, etc, listing all their accomplishments and closing with “and I’m a Mormon”. How can you be a unique individual when you’re not even allowed to make your own clothing choices?

     I can’t help but chuckle a little at the attempt they’re trying to make and yet feel a deep sadness for the individuals in the commercials.  It’s so telling for me to hear these people boast about whom they are and what they’ve done. Their comments amplify what they’re being taught by church leaders like Mr. Packer; appearance is everything.  Reality, on the other hand, is another story.

     The impression I’m left with at the end of the commercials is if you join Mormonism you too will be a success, you’ll have a beautiful family, well behaved children, and find happiness.  If I didn’t have a background in Mormonism or wasn’t grounded in God’s Word, I just might buy into what they’re trying to sell here. The method of conversion for the Church is to show how their religion brings happiness and success to those who convert.  God never promised us “happiness”, but he did promise us joy. 

“You will make known to me the path of life;

In Your presence is fullness of joy;

In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.”

(Psalm 16:11)

     As with anything Mormon, the message is all about them and has little or nothing to do with Jesus Christ.  These people live in a world where Jesus is nothing more than an afterthought.  He sits on the back burner of their religion only to be taken off when their standing as a Christian is being called into question. They bypass God and give the credit for all their blessings to membership in the Mormon Church.

     These ads are nothing more than a thinly veiled attempt to shift the public’s attention from the core doctrines and history of Mormonism.  I’m praying those watching the ads look beyond the appearance and won’t be deceived by what Mormonism is truly about.

In Christ,

Melissa Grimes (melissa@lifeafter.org)

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The Bible: Why Joseph Smith hated the Word of God

Posted in Bible, tagged , , , , , , , , , on 10/19/2010| 8 Comments »

 The Bible:  Why Joseph Smith Hated the Word of God

   bible 3  Throughout the annals of history we can see a number of people who have despised and maligned the word of God.  They’re kind of like missionaries, but with a twist.  One of the most memorable for me (Mormonism aside) is found in the Old Testament during the time of the Babylonian takeover of Jerusalem.  King Jehoiakim ordered the leaves containing the word of God to be burned in the fire at his summer home.  Jeremiah 36:20-26.

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The Testimonies of Mormonism

Posted in Foundation of Mormonism, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 10/19/2010| 1 Comment »

Many new ideas stemmed from the visions of Joseph Smith.  As we begin our foundation series I felt it was better to begin here with testimonies.

If it weren’t for the tesitmony of Smith, everything in Mormonism is all for naught.

“No testimony is more significant to us in our time than the witness of Joseph Smith.” – Robert Hales, Ensign, Nov. 2009, pg. 30.

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The Salvation of Mormonism

Posted in Foundation of Mormonism, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on 10/19/2010| 4 Comments »

foundationsIn the spring of ’92 I was expecting my third child in four years and wondering how many more babies I’d have to give birth to before the Mormon god would accept me.  Half way through my pregnancy I went out for a walk with my 14 month old daughter Jacqui and noticed a couple of women about my age standing outside chatting with each other.

As I got closer I saw one of the women wearing a cross necklace.  I thought of it as another opportunity to find out more about the all elusive cross that as a Mormon I was told not to worry about and directly told not to have in our homes.

The questions I asked Nancy set into motion the things I should have done years before.  It had been a long road for me in the eleven years between the time I left Utah and Seattle.  I had traveled the world, lived in many places throughout the states and quite frankly, I was tired.  I was tired of trying to live up to the demands of what I had learned in my Mormon life of what it meant to go to heaven.

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