General Relief Society, October 2012 Review by Mike Thomas

Please enjoy our final conference review by Mike Thomas. Unfortunately due to some kind of technical failure where we lost a review, we are not going to be publishing a review for the Sunday Afternoon session, I hope you have enjoyed these and if you would like to help with reviewing a session in the April conference, please let me know.

The Relief Society of the LDS Church is often referred to as one of the oldest and largest women’s organisations in the world. Established in Nauvoo, Illinois in 1842, what was originally proposed as another Benevolent Society was named the Relief Society. Their declared object was,“that the Society of Sisters might provoke the brethren to good works in looking to the wants of the poor—searching after objects of charity, and in administering to their wants—to assist; by correcting the morals and strengthening the virtues of the female community, and save the Elders the trouble of rebuking; that they may give their time to other duties, &c., in their public teaching.”

Although I was a Mormon for fourteen years and my wife was once a local Relief Society president, I have never been to a Relief Society meeting, nor listened in to the conference general session. So, despite my first-hand experience of Mormonism, I was looking at this as an outsider of sorts.

The first thing that struck me was how impenetrable this might be to an outsider. You have to cut your way through thick layers of cultural overgrowth to even begin to understand these proceedings.

But, of course, it must be remembered that the Mormon General Conference in its entirety, while presented as an opportunity to “come listen to a prophet’s voice,” is a tableau, intended to give an impression rather than offer instruction – even to the faithful. Each plays their part, speakers and conference goers alike, the latter attending with the determination to believe, the former fuelling that belief with Mormon tropes, homilies and anecdotes.

In an hour and twenty-six minutes that is how this Relief Society session proceeded. It taught you very little about what Mormons believe but delivered the impression of an admirable group of women who should be proud of their achievements, resolved to achieve more, expectant of many trials and determined to win their heavenly reward by diligence and good works.

Only the observant with a grasp of Mormon doctrine and praxis might spot the complete absence of grace and total dependence on works for salvation. The session, like the whole of Mormonism, might be summed up in the words of the Mormon 3rd article of faith; “We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel.”

The Speakers and their Message

Linda K Burton has been the general president of the Relief Society since March 2012, along with her counsellors, Carol M Stephens (first counsellor) and Linda S Reeves (second counsellor). The keynote speaker was Henry B Eyring, first counsellor in the Mormon presidency. Through choking tears and brave smiles they told their stories, encouraged the sisters to self-congratulation, to awake to their duties and strive to be covenant-keepers. You can read a summary of the meeting here and hear and watch the full proceedings here

Henry B Eyring urged LDS women to greater acts of service and sacrifice.

Carole M Stephens emphasised covenant and duty with a particular emphasis on worthiness.

Linda S Reeves spoke of her personal experiences and trials and urged sisters to look to God for strength in times of trial.
There was much with which Christians might feel they can identify. Christians are, indeed, a covenant people who worship a covenant-making God (1 Cor.11:25; Heb.9:15) When we are born again we enter into a covenant relationship with God and recognise that, “the Lord has assigned to each his task” (1 Cor.3:5); we are acutely aware of our need to follow obediently (James 2:14-20); maturing in our Christian lives (James 1:4; Eph.4:11-14) We expect to face trials of many kinds (James 1:1-5) and know that these are our participation with Christ in his suffering because we bear his name(1 Peter 4:12-16).

But the Scripture makes clear that any work, however good it looks, will not survive judgement if it is not built on the foundation of Jesus Christ (1 Cor.3:10-13) It was the Relief Society president who most clearly elucidated the true foundation of Mormonism, although a previous knowledge of Mormon doctrine is necessary to understand the short-hand in which she speaks.

When a Pit is a Grave

Linda K Burton spoke of the importance of having the principles of Christ’s Atonement written on Mormon women’s hearts. She listed three principles of the Atonement:

Principle 1: “All that is unfair about life can be made right through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.”

Principle 2: There is power in the Atonement to enable us to overcome the natural man or woman and become true disciples of Jesus Christ.

Principle 3: The Atonement is the greatest evidence we have of the Father’s love for His children. Central to this idea is an old and familiar illustration of a woman who fell into a deep pit. She could not get out herself and called for help. A kind passer-by heard her cries and lowered a ladder. Sister Burton told the women in the congregation they are like the woman in the pit. Sin, she said, can be likened to falling in the pit. The power of the Atonement “not only enables us to climb out of the pit, but also gives us power to continue on the strait and narrow path leading back to the presence of our Heavenly Father.”

Every Mormon will know this illustration and many Christians might be impressed by it but what does the Bible have to say about the true state of sinful man?

Where the Mormon likens the sinful state of man to falling into a pit the Bible speaks of the state of such a man in much more dire terms:

We are told that death spread to all men because of sin (Rom.5:12)
That the wages of sin is death (Rom.6:23)
That it is through sin that death reigns (Rom.5:21)
That sin kills man through deception (Rom.7:11)
That full-grown sin brings sure death (James 1:15)

• The sinner is not simply fallen into a pit but is actually dead! The pit is not an unanticipated trap but an inescapable grave. The Bible tells us that:

The reign of sin makes us obey sins passions (Rom.6:12)
The influence of sin enslaves us (Rom.6:20)
Because sin lives in our very being (Rom.7:17)

• The sinner is not just fallen into sin, sin has fallen into him! It inhabits him so that sin’s passions are natural to him, sin enslaves him and lives in him to rise up at a time sin chooses. If we don’t identify the true nature of the problem we cannot expect to find an adequate solution.

Where the Mormon sees Jesus as a passer-by who lowers a ladder into the pit so the unfortunate sinner can climb out the Bible portrays Jesus as:

Giving his life to ransom the sinner from sin’s enslavement (Mt.20:28)
So that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life (Jn.3:16)
He was able to do this because he had life in himself (John 1:4; 5:26)

“For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.” (Rom.5:17)

• She who is dead in sin but who has come to trust in Jesus now has eternal life as a present possession, has crossed over from death to life and need no longer fear judgement (John 5:24)

The Plan of Happiness?

The true role of Jesus in Mormonism is articulated as president Burton makes plain that, “Without an understanding of Heavenly Father’s perfect plan of happiness and the Saviour’s Atonement as the central feature of that plan, [life’s] challenges could seem unfair.”

The Mormon gospel is not about sin and death, faith and life but about “Heavenly Father’s perfect plan of happiness and the Saviour’s Atonement as the central feature of that plan.”

The “plan of happiness” is the ladder and “the Saviour’s Atonement” lowers the ladder but the sinner must climb, scramble to freedom, follow the plan. Of course, if you are in a pit and a saviour provides a ladder then it is reasonable that you should climb. But the sinner, if she is in a pit, is lying there – dead! You could install an escalator and it would not help one whit.

It is important to realise that Jesus is “a central feature” of the Mormon plan. With Jesus in place, playing his part, the Mormon is now enabled to be “saved, by obedience,” as the third article of faith has it.

Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the father except through me” (John 14:6) The biblical apostle said, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we may be saved” (Acts 4:12)

The Mormon apostle Joseph B Wirthlin testified, “Jesus Christ taught the words of life. He showed the way to truth, the way to peace, the way to happiness.” The Mormon apostle Dallin H Oaks said, “I testify that as the Light of the world, He has provided the way for us to return to our heavenly home.” (Special Witnesses of Christ, Ensign, April 2001)

The Jesus of the Bible is the way while the Jesus of Mormonism shows the way. He is a central part of God’s “plan of happiness” but Mormons must follow the plan to gain their heavenly reward.

The Mormon Apostle Neal A Maxwell declares “Having purchased us (1 Cor.7: 23) with His atoning blood (Acts 20:28) in the great and marvellous Atonement, Jesus became our Law-giver (Isaiah 33:22). It is by obedience to His laws and His commandments that we may return one day to His presence and that of our Heavenly Father.” (Special Witnesses of Christ, Ensign, April 2001. You can read a full report on this here)

This is the gospel message turned entirely on its head! Where Biblical Apostles have the law leading us to Christ, Mormon Apostles have Christ leading us to the law. Where Biblical Apostles have men and women justified by faith in Christ who fulfilled the law, Mormon Apostles have us justified “by obedience to His laws and His commandments”, laws that we ourselves must fulfil.

This is the true background to these Relief Society talks. This is the way Mormon women listening would understand what was said and why so much emphasis is placed on covenant, duty and service. Where the Christian keeps covenants and serves out of the new life they have in Christ, the Mormon strives for the perfection Jesus offers us through simple faith in the finished work of the cross.

The lot of the redeemed is not to find themselves climbing to the top of a ladder and following the plan, but free from sin where once she was slave to sin, alive in Christ where once she was dead in sin, standing in life where once she stood in fear of condemnation. This is the foundation on which she stands to serve, sacrifice and obey.

This is why Paul was able to write to the troublesome Christian believers in Corinth “Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you?” (1 Cor.3:16) Because of the finished work of Christ their immaturity (1 Cor.3:1) did not disqualify them from the free gift of salvation in God’s kingdom.

As we ponder the differences between the Christian message and the message of Mormonism we might be forgiven for marvelling at how “Christian” Mormonism sounds. The Bible tells us, however, that we must make sure we build on the foundation of Christ otherwise we build in vain; sadly, Mormons who left this conference determined to redouble their efforts and “lengthen their stride” as one Mormon prophet put it, are building in vain.

Sunday Morning, October 2012 General Conference review by Bazz Deacon.

After the songs of worship Henry B Eyring told us about the time his 3 year old granddaughter questioned where Jesus was in the resurrected body. Making clear reference to his denial over the Trinity.

Pay attention to what he says towards the end “The saviours only motivation was to help people.”

Actually his motivation was his love for us, He didn’t just have one clear motivation, His life, His lessons, His miracles and His sacrifice changed the world. Not just His works but something much much deeper.

Henry B Eyring wraps up his teachings with these words “I promise you that as you do, you will feel the love of the saviour” “if you do this long enough and often enough you will feel a change in your very nature”.

Translation “do works for the church and your heart will change”.

Our attention was then lead to President Boyd K Packer I took great interest when he spoke about the Pearl of Great Price passage “No unclean thing can dwell in the presence of the Lord”.

Sorry but aren’t we all unclean things? We are saved by Gods grace, not our works and hearts. To put it simply we aren’t saved because we are good, we are saved because He is good.

He then spoke of how “A mediator was chosen”

God didn’t look around Heaven and saw Jesus and said “your the man for the job” Jesus was God in the flesh. Read Johns Gospel (John 1.1) “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God” later (John 1 verse 14) it states “The Word became flesh”. The Word was Jesus and through him all things were made, you go to any bible scholar and ask them if Jesus was God and they will all say “yes”. A Mormon once said to me that the trinity isn’t true because the word trinity is not mentioned once in the bible. To which I responded “The word Bible isn’t mentioned in the bible but it doesn’t mean we aren’t reading it.

Linda K Burton then took the stage. She shared her testimony and like the others they’re was emotions in her voice and tears in her eyes at one point. Friends, its a trick. It’s a way of getting people to follow the stories. The stories they all tell may have happened but they are clearly using them as a ploy to entice followers to work for the church. She then finished with these words…“I know that President Thomas S Monson is our prophet today, in the name of Jesus Christ amen”.

How can she know that, by feelings?? What makes her feelings different from a Muslim who believes the book of Quran is correct, the absolute word of God and that and that Muhammed was sent by God? Feeling that something is right does not make the thing right, that’s why we have the bible. If you have a feeling to do something then you apply that to the bible to see if it is true and if the bible is against it then you know its not from God so you don’t do it.
Then we come to Walter F Gonzalez

I love this guy, he starts by talking about how we should avoid the internet… He says “You can find good and bad information on the internet” More and more people every year are leaving the Mormon faith since the invention of the internet. Bad information is still information. Also pay attention to the way he looks at the camera, like he is saying it as a command rather than a gentle warning. Listen to how his voice changes when he speaks about how we should avoid the information on the net. Also what was more revealing was what he said shortly after “It is also important to be still and follow the the celestial prompting. When we do this we will feel and see things that cannot be learned by modern technology”. In other words what he is asking them to do is, if they find information on the web that disproves Mormon doctrine close your eyes, pray and feel that the book of Mormon is true. If a detective goes to a murder scene they don’t just question the suspect and believe them. What they do is question other people at the scene, family and friends of the deceased and that of the suspect. They also speak to forensics and then they find the answers they seek.

He then appealed to their hearts He said “Now I ask you… Do you remember the peace you felt while after much tribulation, you cried out unto the father in mighty prayer? Do you remember changing your to do list to follow the prompting in your heart?”. In the bible it never asks us to follow our hearts, why?? Because God knows how hurt we can be on the inside. Jeremiah 17.9 states this...”The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?”

Jeffrey R Holland. Took a similar approach when he appealed to the hearts. You could hear the emotions in the leaders voice… again “sigh”. As he went on he said “I acknowledge my none scriptural elaboration” (In other words he is adding to scripture… Revelations 22.18 forbids this by the way). “I NEED disciples forever” (in other words the LD$ need disciples forever once again they are appealing to the Mormons who are contemplating the missionary calling).

It was finished nicely (if not predictively) by President Thomas S Monson saying “Never postpone a prompting” translation…. do what feels right, don’t spend time looking for knowledge.
Quick note on faith and feelings.
Faith is feelings backed up by facts and knowledge. Facts that the LDS presidents don’t want the followers to know about… Why?? Because it will expose the LDS church the followers will leave and they don’t want that. They want the money and they want the power. If anything I personally encourage seeking answers through the internet (that’s what made my faith grow). God gives us plenty of signs, He gave us Jerusalem  Damascus, places Jesus visited and many more besides. He has nothing to hide, look into it, search it out.
Bazz Deacon

General Conference October 2012, Priesthood Session Review by Bobby Gilpin

Well its that time in general conference when the men meet together and are given specific teaching and council for them. This is a session I always find particularly interesting as often the teaching can be more blunt and to the point as the Authorities are speaking into the people who ultimately are the future and present leaders of this Church. I will go through the talks one by one with some thoughts and then give some overview thoughts at the end.

Brethren, We Have Work to Do
BY ELDER D. TODD CHRISTOFFERSON
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

If there is one theme that seems to be pressed in this session more than any other at general conference it is work. As the title suggests this talk gets started with that very much in mind.

The speaker here spends the full talk laying out all of the ways that men need to step up. Looking at things such as the rise in females doing well in education, how in the media men seem to be portrayed as incompetent, immature and self absorbed, and how women are starting to see men as simply partners rather than strong men that they can look to.

We as men should provide leadership, men with the Priesthood (which is the authority by which man act for God in the LDS church) should not waste their life on pornography and cyber space.

Elder Christofferson gives a challenging example of a young boy in India who has two jobs helping to keep his household going at such a young age while still being educated. He says “young men you have no time to waste”. This is now even more true in the Mormon church with the lowering of the missionary age to 18 for guys and 19 for girls.

And he ends with saying that this all needs to be done most importantly in the home, quoting Doctrine and Covenants he says: . Begin to act, and the Lord assures that “an effectual door shall be opened for [you]” (D&C 118:3).

I would say in this talk there are some good points, Biblically men are to take a lead and on a practical level I can agree with what has been said here. There is nothing really doctrinal said for me to take issue with. I would say what concerned me is that there was very little mention of Jesus. In fact doing a word search of this talk for the word “Lord”, I found that almost every reference here about the “Lord” (which I assume does mean Jesus) it is talking about serving Him, either in us needing to serve Him or Him helping us serve Him. I got the sense that He was the vehicle by whom we do things that help better our lives, rather than Him and His glory being the end goal for the doing of these things. I will unpack this more as the talks go on.

Be Valiant in Courage, Strength, and Activity
BY BISHOP GARY E. STEVENSON

This is a talk speaking specifically to the young men in the Church. He tells a story of some young men who walked away from a party where people were taking drugs and narrowly missed being arrested when the Police raided that party after they left. Those that stayed at the party even though some of them took no drugs were kicked out of their school in Japan and sent home. Those that walked away went on to prosperous good lives.

He said this:

Young men, I promise the Lord will empower you. “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power.”7 He will reward you for your courage and righteous behavior—with happiness and joy. Such courage will be a by product of your faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, your prayers, and your obedience to commandments.

Its all about choosing the right and following the commandments, this talk again is full of some good principles but very much makes the point that life will turn out good if we behave righteously.

Beware Concerning Yourselves
BY ELDER ANTHONY D. PERKINS Of the Seventy

This talk is aimed more at the older Teenagers and beyond who hold the Melchizedek Priesthood. This talk as the title suggests is a warning against going wrong. There were two particular things that caught my attention here.

He said this:

Why would God command us to beware? He knows that Satan is an actual being who seeks to drag down our souls into the gulf of misery. God also knows that lurking within priesthood holders is a “natural man” “prone to wander.” Thus, prophets invite us to “put off the old man” and “put on Christ” through faith, repentance, saving ordinances, and daily gospel living.

I wonder when I see this, why does he have to say to people in the Church who already hold this higher priesthood that they should have to put off the old man as though this man is still there, that the natural man is still lurking within these Mormons.

Biblically we see that anyone that that is in Christ IS a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17), not that they should hope to be one.

Colossians 3:9 says Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;

Here we see Paul say that we (meaning Christians) have put off the old man in the past tense, this is not something we are striving to do but rather something that is done. Colossians 3:10 goes on to say “and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him”

This renewing is not a work of us but rather a work in us by God as a resulting of us being born again (or regenerated) by Him.

Ezekiel 36:27 says: And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.

Success in the Christian life is not down to us constantly trying harder but rather down to us trusting in Christ and having Him work within us, for many of us that’s a process that can take time but its not down to our efforts to put off the old self and behave righteously in order to be what God wants. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:10)

Saving ordnances are not what do it but rather His work in us.

Another part of this talk that really interested me was this:

The Old Testament story of David is a tragic example of squandered priesthood power. Although he defeated Goliath while young and lived righteously for decades, this prophet-king was still spiritually vulnerable. In that crucial moment when from his rooftop he saw beautiful Bathsheba bathing, no moral lifeguard stood near to shout, “Beware, David, you fool!” His failure to beware concerning himself11 and to act on promptings of the Spirit12 led to the loss of his eternal family.13

Brethren, if even mighty David can be swept off the road to exaltation, how can we avoid a similar fate?

Firstly David held no Priesthood, and was by no means a Priest, this is simply the Mormon Church adding their perspective onto a place where it is not there, however what interested me more was that he lost His exaltation as a result of His adultery and more importantly murder. This is a teaching that goes far back in Mormonism. And ultimately the Mormon church teaches that David is in Spirit Prison today. Here are two videos that deal with this issue, I would very much recommend you give them a watch,

The Joy of the Priesthood
BY PRESIDENT DIETER F. UCHTDORF
Second Counselor in the First Presidency

Ok moving on to pretty much everyone’s favourite general Authority Dieter Uchtdorf, this guy is always a pleasure to listen to and is someone I would love to give a hug too as much as tell him I think he is wrong. He started off as he often does telling a story of his days as a pilot and talks about how basically some planes are fast, some are slow, just as some people listening are in busy wards (Mormon local Churches) and some are in quiet ones with hardly anyone there which can see less exciting. Both have equal significance. This is a good analogy and is something people could take for many situations, I see nothing to critique in this story.

Two things in this talk struck out at me,

Our all-powerful Father in Heaven has entrusted priesthood authority to us—mortal beings who, by definition, are flawed and imperfect. He grants to us the authority to act in His name for the salvation of His children. By this great power we are authorized to preach the gospel, administer the ordinances of salvation, help build the kingdom of God on the earth, and bless and serve our families and our fellowmen.

Jesus said in the great Commission all authority has been given to Me therefore go……. Now I appreciate the LDS perspective does not grant that Jesus was saying this to all believers from that point on (however that leaves the problem of Jesus claiming to be with this people till the end of the age) however Jesus still made the point that all authority has been given to ME therefore go. Why didn’t he say its been give to you priesthood holders now go out there and choose the right and stay faithful etc like Mormon leaders do?

Its through being in Christ that we have our authority and power, John came to Jesus and said this:

Luke 9:49 And John answered and said, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name; and we forbad him, because he followeth not with us.

You can imagine a young Mormon Priesthood holder coming to Jesus and saying “I saw someone preaching the gospel without the Priesthood, I stopped them!”

Yet Jesus says:

Luke 9:50 And Jesus said unto him, Forbid him not: for he that is not against us is for us.

Its not about being in a specific organization and following their ways its about being connected to Christ, in Him we are a new creation equipped and empowered by His spirit to tell all others about Him.

The closing words of this talk raise the same concerns as its title.

That we may always have eyes to see and a heart to feel the wonder and joy of the priesthood of our great and mighty God is my prayer in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

What did the Apostle Paul say:

1 Corinthians 2:2 For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.

Where is the Priesthood there Paul? And why is Jesus mentioned so little in this whole session?

Help Them Aim High
BY PRESIDENT HENRY B. EYRING
First Counselor in the First Presidency

This talk was largely devoted to some great times that President Eyring has had with his son, they were good examples but again all tailored around the significance of this Priesthood with Christ getting no where near the same emphasis. He made one point which really interested me.

As a father I was blessed to see great futures in God’s kingdom for my daughters as well as my sons. When I prayerfully sought guidance, I was shown a way to help my daughters recognize the trust God had placed in them as servants who could build His kingdom.

In a lot of ways this talk and this session strike me as kind of religious humanism. They are all about us striving, us doing, us performing, us improving, without giving us that biblical formula of just how hopeless we are without Christs work in us that comes through faith in Him. This quote shows the total reversal of roles in that God is trusting in His servants to build His kingdom, you can almost imagine God being up there thinking “I hope they can do it, what will I do if not?”

What did Jesus say?

And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. (Matthew 16:18)

There is only one builder of the Christian Church and only one that could ever be trusted with such a task, and its certainly none of us.

See Others as They May Become
BY PRESIDENT THOMAS S. MONSON

Ok we reach the high point of the session, the President of the LDS Church, Gods mouthpiece to humanity speaks.

This talk is entirely devoted to how people can turn their lives around and how we should look to ourselves for that power to change, and also be able to help change others. He says this:

There is absolutely nothing in this world that will provide more comfort and happiness than a testimony of the truth. Although to varying degrees, I believe every man or young man here tonight has a testimony. If you feel that you do not yet have the depth of testimony you would wish, I admonish you to work to achieve such a testimony. If it is strong and deep, labor to keep it that way. How blessed we are to have a knowledge of the truth.

For Mormons this testimony is the inner conviction and assurance that the LDS Church and gospel is true, how do we get this, we work to receive it.

What does the Apostle Paul say:

This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? (Galatians 3:2)

How do we receive the Spirit? By works of the law or by hearing with faith?

President Monson also says this:

We need to be told that we amount to something, that we are capable and worthwhile.

This is good advice but its secular tried and tested psychological principles, if we keep getting told we can do things then we can. I struggle to see how God feels that His people will be at their most successful by simply trusting in themselves more, where is the dependence on Christ in this talk?

Ok I will get to the high point, which I feel sums up the heart of Mormonism today.

“In one particular meeting, N. Eldon Tanner, who was then an Assistant to the Quorum of the Twelve, had just returned from his initial experience of presiding over the missions in Great Britain and western Europe. He told of a missionary who had been the most successful missionary whom he had met in all of the interviews he had conducted. He said that as he interviewed that missionary, he said to him, “I suppose that all of the people whom you baptized came into the Church by way of referrals.”

The young man answered, “No, we found them all by tracting.”

Brother Tanner asked him what was different about his approach—why he had such phenomenal success when others didn’t. The young man said that he attempted to baptize every person whom he met. He said that if he knocked on the door and saw a man smoking a cigar and dressed in old clothes and seemingly uninterested in anything—particularly religion—the missionary would picture in his own mind what that man would look like under a different set of circumstances. In his mind he would look at him as clean-shaven and wearing a white shirt and white trousers. And the missionary could see himself leading that man into the waters of baptism. He said, “When I look at someone that way, I have the capacity to bear my testimony to him in a way that can touch his heart.”

There you have it world the picture of what humanity should be is not smoking a cigar in old clothes, this is the picture of sin, instead we should be clean shaven, wearing a white shirt, and white trousers. This is purity and it is worn on our outward appearance, what could be more foreign to Jesus and His gospel.

Right through the New Testament when do we see Jesus telling people to clean up their appearance and clothes? NEVER instead it says this:

1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

Ephesians 1:7 In whom (Jesus) we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

Jesus said this in Luke 11:39 And the Lord said unto him, Now do ye Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and the platter; but your inward part is full of ravening and wickedness.

Could this be said of Mormonism too? Why didn’t this missionary see in His mind someone cleansed and forgiven by Christ’s blood? Instead of someone looking good outwardly? More than ever this talk and this session has convinced me that Mormonism is a religion that leaves people that are by nature children of wrath (Ephesians 2:3), still as people that are children of wrath but rather than smoking cigars and looking dirty they look great on the outside but are still the old man inside.

To sum up I want to say this: that when I see anyone who does not know Christ, even if they are wearing a thousand dollar suit, never smoked in their lives and is more cleanly shaved than anyone you have ever seen, if they are without Christ then they are still dead in their sin and with no eternal hope. This is how I see members of the Mormon Church and why I will be seeking to show them Jesus for the rest of my life.

However if I see someone with dirty clothes, a cigar in their hand and have not shaved for months, but loves Jesus and trusts in Him alone for their salvation, I see someone who is righteous, clean and has every eternal blessing to come.

General Conference October 2012 Review, Saturday Afternoon by Vicky Gilpin

Becoming Goodly parents Elder L Tom Perry

Saturday afternoon sessions open with a talk from Elder L Tom Perry, on becoming goodly parents. He speaks of his appreciation for his own upbringing by his LDS mother and the example set by her.

The LDS Church has a culture of placing high value on families, parents teaching their children the scriptures, praying with them and instilling high moral values. This really is something which i admire about the LDS Church.

Of course the LDS Church has doctrinal reasons for it’s emphasis on family which christians disagree with. Forever familys for instance, although this sounds good, and is something desirable to mankind. Is it what God wants?
The Bible tells us that we should love the Lord with all our hearts, not our families.

Deuteronomy 6:5
And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.

And Jesus says our love for our family must be considered as hate, in comparison to our love for him.

Luke 14:26
If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.

Elder M Russell Ballard
Be anxiously engaged.

Uses the example of worker bees making honey, throughout his talk to advocate working to make a difference in the world, maybe through one small act of kindness. Collectively working together to make the world a better place. Again this is admirable, we should seek to make a difference in the world in whatever small ways we can.

Elder Larry Echo Hawk, ( of the Seventy )
”Come unto me, oh ye house of Israel”

During his talk, Elder Echo Hawk referenced the introduction and title page of the book of Mormon.

This is from his talk…
‘On the title page I read that it is “written to the Lamanites, who are a remnant of the house of Israel; and also to Jew and Gentile.” In the introduction to the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ, it says that the Lamanites “are among the ancestors of the American Indians’.
I notice Elder Echo hawk, is using a recent copy of the Book of Mormon. From the 2006 edition onwards, the title page to the Book of Mormon was changed, having previously stated, “… all were destroyed except the Lamanites, and they are the principal ancestors of the American Indians.” It now says that the Lamanites were “among the ancestors”. This change is massive, and there are no footnotes or any indication that there was a change made. This change was done quietly, and your average member of the LDS Church will probably not know about it. For over 150 years the LDS Church maintained that Native Americans are all descendants of the Lamanites.

DNA has revealed a total lack of any Semite (Israelite) genetic markers in the Indians in the Americas.

Genetics and the Book of Mormon
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Since the late 1990s and the pioneering work of Luigi Luca Cavalli-Sforza and others, scientists have developed techniques that attempt to use genetic markers to indicate the ethnic background and history of individual people. The data developed by these mainstream scientists tell us that the Native Americans have very distinctive DNA markers, and that some of them are most similar, among old world populations, to the DNA of people anciently associated with the Altay Mountains area of central Asia. This conclusion from a genetic perspective confirms a large amount of archaeological, anthropological, and linguistic evidence that Native American peoples’ ancestors migrated from Asia at the latest 16,500–13,000 years ago http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genetics_and_the_Book_of_Mormon

Elder Echo Hawke as a person or American ancestry himself, says that he felt as though he was reading about his ancestors as he read the Book of Mormon. He reads part of the BOM account of the Lamanites, a people who the Book of Mormon teaches, migrated from Jerusalem to the American continents at around 600BC.

He closes by exhorting that people read the BOM particularly the descendents of the Lamanites ‘wherever you May be.’

Elder Robert C Gay,( of the seventy )
What shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

Beginning with an example from childhood, where by lying about his age, Elder Gay sought after the treasures of this world rather than those of heaven. By this he received his life lesson. He goes on to discuss self justification of sins.

‘With self-justification of petty sins, Satan triumphs. For a bottle of milk, a misspelled name, a mess of pottage, birthrights and inheritances have been traded.’

As a Christian, I agree. If I try to justify to myself something which my conscience tells me I should not do, or that Gods word tells me I should not do, then this is sin. Self justification, telling yourself ‘it’s ok,’ is a slippery slope.

But the LDS Message is not as Christian, (by this I mean biblical) as it might seem.

He states…
‘The Lord loves our righteousness but asks of us continued repentance and submission.’

To understand what is meant by this you have to understand LDS terminology is different to that of Biblical Christianity.

This is from the Book of Mormon…(Alma 22)

“What shall I do that I may be born of God, having this wicked spirit rooted out of my breast, and receive his Spirit[?] … I will forsake my kingdom, that I may receive this great joy.”
‘Do you remember the response the Lord gave the king through His servant Aaron? “If thou wilt repent of all thy sins, and will bow down before God, and call on his name in faith, believing that ye shall receive, then shalt thou receive the hope which thou desirest.”11

If you’re a Christian reading this you may be thinking, ‘that sounds ok, what’s wrong with repenting of all your sins?’

It goes on…

When the king understood the sacrifice required, he humbled and prostrated himself and then prayed, “O God, … I will give away all my sins to know thee.”12

When the King understood what was being asked of him… It’s not the sinners prayer, that is being spoken of here, the king is not being asked simply to confess, own up to all of his sins but to stop sinning! He then says…

I will give away all my sins to know thee.”12

Ok the idea of giving away all of your sins, to stop sinning is a honourable intention. Surely every Christian when they first become a believer has the intention to no longer sin?

Yes , but the difference is it is not a requirement. Our sins are forgiven. The price has been paid by our saviour. We do not maintain our own salvation by our works of righteousness; rather we work because we are saved.

Ephesians 2:8-10 (KJV) 8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

The following is a quote from a well known LDS Book, Titled, Miracle of Forgiveness.
It was written in 1969 by Spencer W. Kimball, he was one of the 12 Apostles at the time of writing and later went on to be president or prophet of the Church…

p324-325
“Your Heavenly Father has promised forgiveness upon total repentance and meeting all the requirements, but that forgiveness is not granted merely for the asking. There must be works-many works-and an all-lout, total surrender, with a great humility and ‘a broken heart and a contrite spirit. It depends upon you weather or not you are forgiven, and when. It could be weeks, it could be years, it could be centuries before that happy day when you have the positive assurance that the Lord has forgiven you. That depends on your humility, your sincerity, your work, or they your attitude.”

And as if that wasn’t bad enough…

P169-170
Old sins return, says the Lord in his modern revelations many people either do not know this or they conveniently forget it. “Go your way and sin no more,” the Lord warned. And again, “… Unto that soul who sinneth shall the former sins return, saith the Lord your God.” ( D&C 82:7)

This is the impossible Gospel of Mormonism. Far removed from the easy yoke which Jesus spoke of.

Matthew 11:28-30 (KJV)
28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

And if there is any question in your minds as to weather this is what Elder Gay meant…

“This is the exchange the Savior is asking of us: we are to give up all our sins, big or small, for the Father’s reward of eternal life. We are to forget self-justifying stories, excuses, rationalizations, defence mechanisms, procrastinations, appearances, personal pride, judgemental thoughts, and doing things our way. We are to separate ourselves from all worldliness and take upon us the image of God in our countenances.”

Elder Niel L Anderson
Of the Quorum of the 12 apostles

Writes of the trials that many face in life. He encourages those who seek to follow God, particularly in difficult circumstances, like losing a child, or those that are still seeking a partner and are struggling with temptation. He advises to seek God, to pray, to read the scriptures. To continue attending Church.

He moves on to discuss, ‘Those who want to discredit the Church and destroy faith.’ By way of the Internet.

If you’re a Mormon and you’ve been following our blog posts for a while, or even if your new to us. I hope that you have picked up on the heart behind this ministry. We are not Unbelievers, trying to lead you out of faith into unbelief. We are Christian, believing that you have been sold a lie. That the LDS does not have the ‘restored gospel.’ The original is still very much here, and the gates of Hell did not prevail against it. We operate this ministry in Love. Our heart is to see you receive the truth and to not perish without it.

He states…
“Some of the information about the Church, no matter how convincing, is just not true. In 1985, I remember a colleague walking into my business office in Florida. He had a Time magazine article entitled “Challenging Mormonism’s Roots.” It spoke of a recently discovered letter, supposedly written by Martin Harris, that conflicted with Joseph Smith’s account of finding the Book of Mormon plates.”

I know which letter he is speaking of, it is called the salamander letter.

This is from Wikipedia…

The Salamander Letter was a document created by Mark Hofmann in the early 1980s.
The letter was one of hundreds of documents concerning the history of Latter Day Saint movement that surfaced in the early 1980s. The Salamander Letter presented a view of Latter Day Saint founder Joseph Smith’s life that stood sharply at odds with the commonly accepted version of the early progression of the church Smith established.
Accepted by some document experts and collectors, and rejected by others,[1] the Salamander Letter generated much discussion and debate inside and outside the Latter Day Saint movement. Kenneth W. Rendell lent credence to it by stating that the ink, paper and postmark were all consistent with the period; he concluded, “[T]here is no indication that the document is a forgery.”[2] The document was later demonstrated to be a forgery created by Hoffman, who had been responsible for the “discovery” of many other notable documents. Rendell then recast his conclusion, stating that while there was “the absence of any indication of forgery in the letter itself, there was also no evidence that it was genuine.”[3]

Mark Hoffman tried to sell this letter to several people, including well know critics of Mormonism, Sandra Tanner and her Husband Jerald. The Tanners questioned the letters authenticity and did not buy it from him.

Although I’m sure there will be critics of Mormonism who might spread false information, maybe they’ve been hurt by the church, maybe like Hoffman their trying to make money some how. But I hope not to offend when I say, that we do not need to falsify information from the History of the LDS Church to make it questionable. There is more than enough there already. From Changes to the book of Mormon, a book which should be flawless if it’s supposed origins are correct. To a complete lack of evidence for the people and the belongings of the people, told to have travelled to America around 600BC.

Conference Reviews October 2012

Hello all, we have recently had general conference weekend where the Mormon Prophet and Apostles and other authorities speak. This is a very important event in the Mormon Calender and happens twice a year. One thing I have wanted to do for a while is have some Christians watch or listen to or read every session and comment on them from a Christian perspective. This year I have managed to do that, and every day this week there will be a new review added. Please enjoy and leave your thoughts. There are different levels of experience and knowledge of Mormonism in these different people but all have a great faith in Christ and are evaluating these sessions from that perspective. As ever please leave your thoughts.