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From the get-go, there has been intense opposition to the Book of Mormon. If you are an outsider looking into Christianity, you may wonder where the most opposition has come from since the whole Book is saturated with references to Jesus Christ, his divinity and mission. Interestingly enough, the opposition has come from Christians of various denominations from the day Joseph Smith started telling people about it.
I’m reading the History of Joseph Smith by his mother and I read a story I had never heard before about a group of Quakers coming to her house and ransacking the place “in the name of God” so they could find the Book of Mormon and destroy it. That was just the beginning of persectution and ultimately the Latter-day Saints were driven from their homes and many were killed.
Although persecution towards the Mormons today isn’t as physically intense, it still exists verbally.
One of the things that baffles my mind is when I hear preachers, and/or hear reports of preachers bashing Mormons and other faiths over the pulpit. That is another form of abuse the Mormons deal with and don’t even know about it. It has come to the point that when I say I’m a Mormon to a Christian I just expect to hear their tone of voice change and their countenance change and the more religious of a Christian they are, the less tolerant they are in many cases (from my experience). I’ve had them tell me I’m on the pathway to Hell, that I don’t believe in their Jesus and the list goes on.
I used to be offended and hurt when Christians treated me like this, but I’ve grown to try and see things for what they are. First, Jesus has commanded us to love those who despise and reject us and as His follower, I try to do this, which I’m not always the best at. Next, they’ve had years of people telling them stuff about Mormons that may or may not be true and are conditioned to be afraid to engage in conversation. Some things are 1/2 true and other things are outright lies. Next, in many cases, they may have never met a Mormon before, so fear is involved. Finally, I wonder if deep down they may be afraid that the Book of Mormon is actually true and that will damage their faith.
On the other hand, I have spoken with Christians who feel that Mormons are rude to them. They say Mormons are arrogant and flaunt that they are the “one true religion in Christianity” and don’t allow their kids to associate with their children.
Clearly, there are significant misconceptions on both sides of the aisle and I’ve often wondered if there is a way to bridge the gap. I’m sure that Jesus looks down and isn’t pleased with contention between Christian faiths.
With these thoughts and experiences in mind, I reached out to my friend, Cal, who has frequented Graceforgrace for a few years now. He’s been an awesome contributor to the blog and has helped countless people come closer to God through his prayers and experiences that he shares.
He is a Christian and attends regularly. He hears the stuff that people say over the pulpit about Mormons and the awesome thing is that he not only believes in the Book of Mormon, but he shares his testimony about it to other Christians.
Below is an interview that I had with him about his testimony about the Book of Mormon and his ministry:
Interview with Cal about his Testimony of the Book of Mormon
- What is your Christian background?
I became a Christian on June 6, 1983, after reading a prayer that included Romans 10:9, which says, “If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” Upon repenting and deciding to follow Jesus, a peace came into my heart and an assurance that I was now an accepted member of his family with my sins forgiven on the basis of Jesus’ sacrifice of himself in my place.
I then began attending a church of the charismatic variety. They stress praise and worship, meaning singing praise songs to the Father or to Jesus, usually many songs in a row, which attracts the presence of the Spirit. Charismatics also encourage the manifestations of the gift of the Spirit listed in 1 Corinthians 12, such as physical healing, miracles, prophecy, and speaking in tongues, all brought about by faith.
- What led you to looking into Mormons?
Curiosity, desire for adventure, and being contacted by Mormon missionaries (elders).
- How did you come to the conclusion Mormons are Christian?
It was a long process. The big ah-ah moment came when visiting the Joseph Smith Birthplace Memorial in South Royalton, Vermont. I saw something on the wall indicating that the Mormon Church believes Jesus is the Son of God. I remembered 1 John 4:15: “Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.” I believe it was shortly after that that I dared to begin reading the Book of Mormon—I say “dared” because, like many non-Mormon Christians, I was afraid of being deceived. However, I discovered agreement with the Bible, and after my suspicions died down, I began to realize that it was lifting my faith and strengthening my spirit in same way the Bible does.
- Do you believe in the Book of Mormon and other LDS scripture?
The Book of Mormon appears to me to be about 99% accurate. Not only that, but also, like the Bible, I find an amazing balance—important truths are treated as such, less important truths are treated as such, and the whole gospel, including God’s wrath, are given attention.
The Doctrine & Covenants is loaded with prophecies that obviously came from the Lord, but some toward the end, in my view, did not.
- If you do believe then why aren’t you Mormon?
A major reason I’m not Mormon is that I feel that becoming one would be inconsistent with what God has called me to do, namely, encouraging unity among all Christians. The LDS believes it alone makes up the church of Jesus Christ on the earth today, which contributes to the break between non-Mormon Christians and Mormon Christians. Also, I don’t believe Joseph Smith was a restorer of the church, though I like him, respect the larger part of his ministry and gifts, and am glad that many are finding salvation in Christ through Joseph Smith’s message.
6. Tell us about your ministry to help Christians see Mormons are Christians.
At this point my ministry consists mainly of a small website directed toward evangelicals. A key page is http://www.evangelicalsandmormonsforjesus.com/fast-facts.htm , which has Bible verses of doctrines essential for entering God’s kingdom juxtaposed with LDS doctine to show that the LDS fulfills God’s requirements for a Christian organization.
- How do you know God has called you to this mission?
The urging of the Holy Spirit and the joy I receive from spreading the message that the LDS is Christian. I have also received personal prophetic words from prophetically gifted ministers that confirmed that I’m on God’s track for me. (I’m glad God sometimes has a chance to bypass the unrenewed minds of his people—if these ministers had known in their minds what they were encouraging me to do, they probably would not have said what they did!)
- What push-back have you received from fellow Christians as you’ve defended Mormons?
For starters, very few non-Mormons have encouraged me. When they learn what I’m doing, they usually try to correct me or simply look down on me as someone seriously mistaken and deceived. My wife is with me whole-heartedly and my Lord encourages me: “Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven” (Matt. 5:11-12)!
- What success have you had with your ministry?
Many people are spending some time on my website. Besides that, it’s hard to tell. I’ve received a small number of encouraging letters from evangelicals. Ironically, more Mormons contact me than non-Mormons. Apparently, after enduring verbal abuse for so long, Mormons are refreshed by my defense of them and appreciate it.
Moving beyond what I’m trying to do to God’s big picture, I am excited by the many little signs I see that barriers between us are coming down. For example, just moments ago, I noticed an article listed on google titled, “Evangelical visits to BYU signal a new evangelical-Mormon détente”
10. What are the commonalities and differences between your belief and what Mormons believe?
Commonalities: Jesus is King of kings and Lord of lords; he suffered for our sins so we could be forgiven and receive the Holy Spirit (what Mormons call the gift of the Holy Ghost); on the third day he rose from death and is now seated next to the Father, mediating for us; Jesus, under the direction of the Father, created the universe, rules the universe, and will judge all men. God is calling all to repentance, faith in Jesus, and baptism. Doing these will lead to blessings; not doing them will lead to misfortune. God is calling us to love our neighbor as we love ourselves with the enablement of his grace. Joseph Smith was prophetically gifted.
Here are key areas where I differ: Joseph Smith taught some error, mainly, if not totally, during the latter part of his life. The LDS is one among many Christian denominations but not the full extent of the kingdom of God on earth. The church of Christ has needed, and still needs, restructuring, reformation, more revelation, and revitalization; but not a restoration of priesthood authority since that authority never totally left the earth.
I believe our commonalities should bond us together for the sake of pleasing God and winning the lost (see Jesus’ prayer in John 17). Our differences can be worked out in time as we worship together, fellowship with each other, and pray together. I’m not claiming it’s going to be easy. In fact, “with men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible” (Mark 10:27).
Thanks to GraceforGrace for helping to bridge the gap between us.
Today I watched a great 30 for 30 video on Shawn Bradley that described his “lackluster” NBA career. Although his career wasn’t as good as what everyone hyped it up to be when he was drafted, he was an excellent player and lasted over 10 years and finished in the top 15 all-time for shots blocked.
One thing that I always respected from afar with Shawn Bradley was that he always seemed to put his faith first. He did not enter the NBA draft when he could have in order to serve a full-time mission to Australia. Also, when he was a player, he tried his best to be faithful as well. In the short documentary, he describes being fined for not going to a strip club with the team for a meeting because it was against his belief system.
I had a chance to meet him in the early ’90s and say a few words and stand next to him. I was in Jr High and he was attending BYU at the time. He was giving a talk to all the LDS youth in the region and it was very inspiring for me as a youth to hear a famous Mormon standing up for his beliefs.
Other Famous Mormons I’ve Met
Watching the documentary and reflecting on my experience with meeting Shawn Bradley caused me to reflect on other famous Mormons I’ve met. Here are a few more:
Steve Young
When I was in high school I competed in ballroom dance. While I was at a large dance competition at BYU, Steve Young was the MC of the event. I had the privilege of shaking hands with him and asking him a few questions about himself. If it were today, I would have taken a selfie with him!
Gordon B Hinckley
I only met Gordon B Hinckely one time and that was before he became the LDS Church President. It was in the early ’90s at a large conference and I was fortunate enough to be able to shake his hand and say a few words.
When I was 18 and preparing to serve a mission, he was highlighted in 60 minutes and did an excellent job of answering tough questions. It was very inspiring for me as a youth and his great, positive attitude was infectious during the whole time he was President.
When I was getting ready to leave to fly to Germany on my mission, I was companions with his grandson. He had requested that his grandson visit him in his office at temple square and extended the invitation for me to visit with him. The only problem was that my family had traveled hours to come and see me off at the airport and I was afraid that I wouldn’t get to see them if I visited President Hinckley so I declined the offer. When I told my family about it, they said “I would have gone and visited the Prophet!” Looking back on things, I sort of wish I would have done it because I could have seen my family still. But hindsight is always 20/20 as they say!
Mitt Romney
I volunteered for the Romney presidential campaign in 2012 in Washington State. When he came to visit our state, I wanted to meet him in person, so I took the whole family with me and drove an hour. It was very awesome seeing him in person and although there were a lot of body guards and everything, I was able to go and shake hands with him briefly and say a few words as he thanked me for volunteering for the cause.
Alex Boye
When I was living in Utah I went to a party in Salt Lake City at this huge mansion. I don’t even know whose house it was, but it was one of those things where word spread and a friend invited a friend and so on. The music was going and everyone was dancing when I noticed a big crowd gathering around me…including more girls. I wasn’t doing anything special and wondered what was going on. I then realized it wasn’t me everyone was gathering around for. Rather, it was Alex Boye. I had never heard anything about him at the time and he was basically right behind me. I basically did one of those “What’s up?” deals that guys who don’t know each other do and kept dancing. It wasn’t until after the party that I realized he was a former pop star and since then, he’s become a pretty famous LDS musician.
Here’s a most recent song that I really like that he did in collaboration with The Piano Guys:
Dallin H Oaks
Just a few years ago, Dallin H Oaks came and visited our stake. When he gives official talks at General Conference, he seems very calculated and serious, so I was surprised at how jovial and funny he is in person. He answered a lot of open questions and just had a lot of fun with the crowd and it was great!
L Tom Perry
When I was on my mission, L Tom Perry visited us. Just like with Elder Oaks, I was very impressed with how personable and close to the Spirit he was, while being fun and jovial at the same time. I learned a lot from him in a pretty intimate setting of only about 100 missionaries. We spent about 4 hours together and each one of us had the chance to meet with him afterwards. He’s very tall!
Your Turn!!
I’ve shared with you a few of the most famous Mormons I’ve met. Now it’s your turn. Who are some of the most famous Mormons you’ve met and how did you meet them?
A couple of weeks ago we had Stake Conference (this happens twice/year and is a regional meeting when Mormon congregations gather together within a geographical region to listen to various speakers). One speaker who stood out to me was a young lady named Kayla. What stood out to me was her funny and enthusiastic attitude as well as her fresh approach to the Gospel. She described having grown up as a Christian and then leaving the faith for a while and then recently having an experience that led her to the Mormon faith, and having a relationship with the Lord once again. As she told her story, I witnessed the Holy Spirit come over her and it touched my heart deeply and I wanted readers of this blog to hear her story as well.
After the conference, I asked her if she minded if I asked her a few questions for readers and she was kind enough to answer a few questions for me. The rest of this post includes my questions and her answers.
Kayla’s Story
Why did you decide to become Atheist?
I can’t remember exactly what brought me down to the path of Atheism for sure because there were many things going on. Some events that are very personal that I don’t wish sharing openly, but what I’m about to express – had a lot to do with myself choosing a Secular path. During my sophomore year of high school – there was a guy in class that I knew was experiencing troubles. I think I told him something along the lines of, “No matter what you’re going through…Jesus loves you.” He explained to me that he was an Atheist, and also told me that his parents were getting a divorce. He couldn’t understand what kind of God would let a family break a part, while letting the children suffer in the process. I told him that if he ever needed someone to talk to that he could talk to me, and I again – assured him that Christ loves him.
Though at the time I seemed fairly confident with my beliefs – after that one particular discussion – I started to question things myself. I even investigated what Atheism, and Secularism was all about. Not to mention that some of my favorite celebrities/artists are also Secular. Quite a few of them were Atheist actually. There are different kinds of Secularists, but Atheists are Secular in general. I even started talking to some of my Christian friends – asking them certain questions that pertained to the bible, the creation of the universe, and the existence of life. There was a lot of events occurring in my life that made me questions things more, and more.
Due to these issues that were occurring in my life. I, myself, was starting to lose faith in the Lord. I didn’t really know what being a real “Christian” meant? And, quite a number people that I knew growing up – that called themselves “Christians” – were not very kind people to say the least. I didn’t want to be associated with those unkindly people. By the time my sophomore year came to an end, and I was entering my junior year of high school – I was an Atheist. To be technical – I was an Agnostic- Atheist. I didn’t know if there truly was a high power, and I just didn’t believe in one. I lost faith, and I became a non-believer. At the time – I accepted that. At least when it came to my spiritual path at the time. Once you lose faith in the good Lord – it’s amazing how that loss can affect a person’s way of thinking when it comes to life, and spirituality. And trust me – it’s a loss. Many people may differ, but before I became a member of the church – keeping the faith was difficult. And, it still can be at times. Life is not easy. Losing your faith – is very easy. But, knowing the relationship that I have with the Savior now – I could never picture myself being Secular ever again. The Lord is my rock. He’s done a lot for me. He loves me unconditionally. It saddens me to know that there are many people that don’t have a relationship with the Savior, or have not accepted Him into their lives. It brings me much sadness to think about it.
What was life like as an Atheist?
Before I answer this – I would like to say that the path of Atheism is different for everyone. Just because I feel a certain way, or lived a certain way when I was an Atheist – doesn’t mean that other Atheists are the same. Atheism is basically a non-belief in a God, or higher power. An Atheist is a person that denies the existence of a God, or any supreme being. There are Atheists that differ, and are similar – when it comes to a moralistic life view, or common concerns, etc. Just like there are Christians that view faith, service, and life in different ways. Or interpret the scriptures differently at times. And believe me – there are. There are Atheists that believe they know the truth when it comes to a higher power, and there are those that don’t know the truth, but surely do lack faith in the Lord. There are Atheists that are still just finding where they belong. Then, you have Atheists that were never taught about the Gospel at all, and are taught to not believe in the Lord. Which I know is a sad thought, but it’s true. There are those that feel lonely, and confused. There are those that are fine with their lives. Not all Atheists are alike. Not all Atheists are scientists, or philosophers. Some, don’t care for science at all.
Most importantly – we need to remember that these people are also flesh, and bone. They’re human.
When I was an Atheist – there were times where I was okay. There were times when I was really lonely, and confused. I was never really rebellious because of the way that I was raised. I’ve never really gotten into any kind of trouble. I have a clean record. So, I never got into any serious trouble with the law at all. However, I was very obsessed when it came to death. I would obsess over my mortality a lot. Which is ironic to look back, and think about because many Atheists claim to believe that Theists, or believers can’t accept as death natural consequence, which is why they have faith in a “non-existent” deity, or higher power. I still fear death at times, but I’m not as obsessive over it as I was when I was Secular. There were times where I would be afraid, and pray, but I still lacked faith. I would only pray when I was in need. I felt that I was an idiot for praying at the time. I felt that I was weak when I would pray. I would think to myself, “What am I doing? This is hogwash! Don’t pray.” However, I respected those that did to an extent. There were times where I would mock religious individuals, but overall – I respected those that believed in the Lord when I was Atheist. Even as an Atheist – I did my share of defending those that are religious. Now, I see myself defending Atheists sometimes. (laughs) Of course, I don’t agree with their lifestyle, but not all Atheists are bad people. Just not all Christians follow the Gospel like they should.
Thankfully, this is where Christ comes into the picture. He died for our sins. He deserves our respect, admiration, and love, etc. Overall, I would say that I was a boring Atheist. I can’t really define what life was like for me. I just lived. I just lived my life like there was no God. I believe that I didn’t need God at all. Well, I was definitely wrong. I had good moments, and bad moments, but I can say that I did feel very empty, and lonely a lot of the times with not having the Savior in my life. Sometimes, I tend to think that my past probably would have been better if I would have kept the faith, but…that’s the past. I’m thankful that I have made the changes that I have. The Lord is my rock. Living life the way I am now – I couldn’t imagine myself not having Christ in my life ever again. He is definitely my rock. I need Him. I love him.
How did you view people who believed in Christ?
At times, I was jealous. This is jealousy, for me, is indescribable. Probably because I knew a lot of Christian people that were going through a lot, but we’re still happy as if life were easy for them. Which amazed me. Other times – I thought that they were mentally weak, but if believing in a “sky daddy” (as some Atheists put it) made them happy. Then, more power to them! “Just don’t force your beliefs unto me, and then, we’re cool.” As I would put it. At the time – I had friends that were believers, and non believers. I still have friends that are believers (like myself), or believe in something else, and non-believers. I believe in “to each their own.” I highly believed in this then, and I believe in this now. I should be honest, and say that I would sometimes antagonize believers though. Try to make them question their own faith. Even though I believe in the concept of “to each their own” now – I still share the Gospel. I even try my best to share my faith with those who don’t care for the Gospel. You never know who will truly be listening, and whose life that you’ll make a difference in.
What lead you to start believing in Christ again?
This experience that I had is very personal, but I’ll explain with as much detail as I can. Life hasn’t been easy for me. Then again, life isn’t easy for 
anyone. Anyway, I was going through much stress, anxiety, and I had a very bad panic attack. I was actually having frequent panic attacks before this one. It was so bad that I thought I was going to die. I went where I could be alone, and I prayed. I don’t want to go into much detail of what I was saying, but I was asking for help, and for the Lord to reveal Himself to me. I was tired of living this Godless life. I told the Lord that I would serve Him to the best of my ability. Just please…help me. Then, I felt this warm grasp on my left shoulder. It was a gentle grasp. It actually felt like someone was behind me, but there was no one behind me. I couldn’t see anyone in the room with me, but I felt this grasp. It felt like a hand. I didn’t freak out, but I did cry. Then, my right hand reached for my left shoulder. I was trying to touch the hand that I felt grasping that shoulder. I wanted to feel it with my own fingers. This warmth that I felt was unexplainable. But, I can try to define this warmth for you. It was…love. I didn’t have to say anything. I knew the truth right then, and there. I don’t know if that was the Lord Himself touching me, or one of Heavenly Father’s Angels? Nevertheless, it made me certain that the Lord is real. When I cried out to Him with much intent, opening my heart out to Him – I got an answer. I’ve even had some other personal experiences that’s made me certain that the Lord is real, and lives. The Lord is real. He loves us all. I testify this.
anyone. Anyway, I was going through much stress, anxiety, and I had a very bad panic attack. I was actually having frequent panic attacks before this one. It was so bad that I thought I was going to die. I went where I could be alone, and I prayed. I don’t want to go into much detail of what I was saying, but I was asking for help, and for the Lord to reveal Himself to me. I was tired of living this Godless life. I told the Lord that I would serve Him to the best of my ability. Just please…help me. Then, I felt this warm grasp on my left shoulder. It was a gentle grasp. It actually felt like someone was behind me, but there was no one behind me. I couldn’t see anyone in the room with me, but I felt this grasp. It felt like a hand. I didn’t freak out, but I did cry. Then, my right hand reached for my left shoulder. I was trying to touch the hand that I felt grasping that shoulder. I wanted to feel it with my own fingers. This warmth that I felt was unexplainable. But, I can try to define this warmth for you. It was…love. I didn’t have to say anything. I knew the truth right then, and there. I don’t know if that was the Lord Himself touching me, or one of Heavenly Father’s Angels? Nevertheless, it made me certain that the Lord is real. When I cried out to Him with much intent, opening my heart out to Him – I got an answer. I’ve even had some other personal experiences that’s made me certain that the Lord is real, and lives. The Lord is real. He loves us all. I testify this.How is your life now that you are a Mormon compared to when you were Atheist?
Life is still hard at times. However, I know that I’m not alone. I’m going through a lot, but I feel a spiritual fullness. Something that I never had as an Atheist. I know that the Lord is with me always. Wherever I go – He’ll be there to catch my fall. Whenever I cry – He’ll be there for me when I need to bawl. He loves me more than words could ever describe. He loves me more than I could ever love myself. He didn’t just sacrifice Himself for me, but for the world. I have much more of an understanding of the Gospel. And when I say, “Gospel.” I don’t just mean – The Book of Mormon – itself. I mean all of the scriptures that have been laid out before us.
When I read the Holy Bible – I feel inspired. And this inspiration makes me that much more grateful to be a disciple of Jesus Christ, and a daughter of Heavenly Father’s. I have much more of an understanding than I ever did before – when it comes to reading the scriptures. I’m still ignorant in some areas of the Gospel, but I’m learning a lot. In the Holy Bible (King James Version), here’s a verse that explains a little bit more clearly of where I’m trying to get at: Proverbs 2:10 (KJV) – “10 When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul;” – I love this verse. In order for that wisdom to enter your heart though – it first must be open. It can’t be closed. Open your heart, and you may surprise yourself.
Why did you decide to join the Mormon church rather than the church you were raised in?
I was never exactly raised in the church growing up. My mother actually stopped going to church before I did. She was raised Catholic, but hasn’t practiced in years. Even though that’s true – she would still talk about the Catholic religion with me, and talked about the Pope quite a bit. She still does at times. She has major love, and respect for the Pope as most Catholics would – I’d imagine? I think she stopped practicing as a teenager, or young adult? I know that she stopped practicing Catholicism way before she met my father. She, and I would go to church off, and on with some friends of hers, but she just stopped attending. I think she felt out of place because a person raised Catholic going to an Evangelical Church – would feel out of place I would imagine? That didn’t keep her from being pushy at times though. And she was. She encouraged me to go to church when I was younger, and such.
My father never attended church with my mother, and I, when we did attend (before she stopping going overall), but he went as a child. Despite them not being “church going” people – they certainly do believe in a Higher Power. I started going to church on my own with friends, or other relatives. It was fun at times. Other times – it was boring. Overall – I never felt like I was able to fit in. I never really read that much of the Gospel when I attended church as a child, or learned that much of the Gospel for that matter.
An old friend of mine in elementary school – even bought me a brand new bible years ago, and I never hung onto it. Not even the necklace that came with it. Which was a beautiful necklace indeed. The more I think about it – I believe the reason why I did lose faith in high school was because of my lack of knowledge of the Gospel, Heavenly Father, and the Lord, etc. I was already lacking faith before I lost my faith. If that makes sense? I think that played a big role in myself losing faith in the Lord when I did. Ironically, I actually started reading bits, and parts of the bible when I was Atheist – just to know what was in there just so I could use the bits of knowledge that I had for debates, or personal discussions. The problem was – I didn’t fully understand the scriptures like I understand them today.
I found Heavenly Father when I opened my heart, and welcomed Him, and the Lord (our Savior) back into my life. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints found me. And I do believe that things happen for a reason, and myself being a part of the church was not only influenced by Heavenly Father, or the Lord, but also the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost made me certain that the Church is indeed true.
What advice do you have for those who are searching, or do not believe in God?
Open your heart. You must have an open heart, or you will not get far in your search. Also, for those investigating the church – I would encourage you to read these words: The Book of Moroni (BOM) – 10:3-5 “3 Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts. 4 And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost. 5 And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.”
I appreciate Kayla for taking the time to answer these questions. I can relate to her experience with opening our hearts and searching for an answer from the Lord through prayer to know truth. I’ve written previously about a similar experience I had with the same scripture that Kayla outlined. I hope I can always remember to have an open heart towards the Lord because I know that when I do have an open heart I’m in a better position to be led by His Holy Spirit.
I’ve been waiting to write this for a while now, but I laughed out loud when reading a comment on this post , so I thought it was time to share my thoughts on the issue with music in the Mormon church.
When discussing the issue of Mormon church meetings lasting so long, one of the comments was:
…my friend has a full-fledged band in her Methodist church. Where the (heck)’s (he used a different expression) our band! I wanna band!
After reading this, my thoughts went back to when I was 21 years old and just home from my LDS mission to Germany. I had been asked to sing in church so I sang my own arrangement of the hymn “Beautiful Savior” on the acoustic guitar (playing guitar isn’t normally done in LDS churches, so I thought it would be a good thing to add variety to the worship).
I felt very moved when preparing for the song and also singing the song. When playing the song, I didn’t go crazy on a blues scale or put a pop flare into it. I simply did a simple picking and strumming pattern and played it softly and worshipful. I truly felt the Holy Spirit when singing and playing the song during church. After the meeting many people came up and mentioned how it had moved them too. However, when the bishop approached me, he had other things to say. He whipped out the bishop’s handbook (this is a handbook issued by the LDS church President that has guidelines and policies about how to conduct meetings in church and other issues leaders need to deal with) and was polite about telling me that I sounded good, but that sacrament meeting wasn’t a place for guitars (even though the book doesn’t explicitly state that).
I disagreed with him and I still do.
I have family members who attend various other Christian denominations including: Anglican, Foursquare, Presbyterian, and non-denominational. I have been to their services when their band is playing songs and the congregation joins in. The argument I have always heard against a full band in church from Mormon leadership is that guitars and drums drive away the Spirit. However, when I have attended their church I have felt the Spirit during songs with a full band just as much as I have with the traditional organ-accompanied hymnals we hear in Mormon or traditional Christian churches. Plus our kids pay more attention and enjoy it more as well!
The official policy from the latest Mormon Church Handbook states the following about music selection for sacrament:
Organs and pianos, or their electronic equivalents, are the standard instruments used in Church meetings. If other instruments are used, their use should be in keeping with the spirit of the meeting. Instruments with a prominent or less worshipful sound, such as most brass and percussion, are not appropriate for sacrament meeting.
I can understand not wanting percussion, although do not completely agree with them that drums are less worshipful. I’ve been to meetings where drums are played and there is definitely a more worshipful experience with the drummer and congregation compared with what you usually see in Mormon meetings where people are half asleep as they play a slow hymn and fight kids during the song.
Where I do agree with the Mormon leaders’ philosophy on music in church is that before the Sacrament (Communion) it is appropriate to play reflective music. This should be a very reflective time. However, once the Sacrament has been conducted the other songs that are sung during the meeting can be upbeat with various instruments, I think.
Finally, I am a member of a band in our local Stake. We play songs that relate to pioneers, Jesus, scriptures, missionaries, and the gospel in general. The songs we play the range from very slow to very upbeat. I feel a closeness to God as I express my praise through music and many other people have expressed how close they feel to God when listening to us as well. We use a full band and I think there wouldn’t be a problem playing our stuff in sacrament meeting with most of the songs we perform. Although they are more upbeat than hymns, they are worshipful.
I do not believe that God only listens to organ music. Heaven wouldn’t be Heaven if that’s all we heard up there!
So in conclusion, I share the same sentiment to a certain extent with the comment on the other blog:
Where the Heck is our band? I want a band in church!!!
While I was talking with one of my family members, they mentioned that some Mormons were baffled with the fact that Romney had lost. Especially since signs had been pointing towards the fulfillment of some parts of the “White Horse Prophecy”. (For those of you not familiar with this prophecy, it is described in detail here). They felt our constitution is “hanging by a thread” (as do I in many respects) and all signs were leading towards Romney winning.
Since the “White Horse Prophecy” is so en grained into Mormon culture, it seems that any time a Mormon does anything significant in politics, many Mormons jump on the bandwagon of wondering if the prophecy is about to be fulfilled.
I feel that there are flaws with this way of thinking. First, the prophecy has not been cited as something definitely prophesied by Joseph Smith. Secondly, there is not a clear definition of what is meant by the “constitution hanging by a thread” and how the elders will participate in saving the constitution. I get a feeling that Mormons assume it means a Mormon in the White House, but the prophecy does not state this and is rather vague in defining exactly what role the elder will play.
Even though there are flaws in the prophecy, and LDS public affairs has even publicly denounced the prophecy, I’m sure that many Mormons will still hold this “prophecy” to be true merely based on the fact it has been told so many times and become a part of Mormon culture.
That being said, let’s have a little fun. Now that Mitt Romney is out, who do you think will be the next Mormon politician to be dubbed as the Elder who will fulfill the White Horse Prophecy?
I’m having a hard time coming up with anyone. Jon Huntsman is probably out of the picture. Marco Rubio was a Mormon in his youth, but is now a Catholic….is there anyone in the foreseeable future that you can think of?
Please share.
Romney’s win in the debates last week and his surge in the polls is seen by many political analysts as something unprecedented in US Presidential history, this late in the elections. For those who support Romney, this is inspiring and an amazing feat. and has charged many conservatives up around the country. Those who do not support him are also inspired to try harder and are also charged up more than before to support Obama.
Since I am a conservative, Mormon Republican I obviously lean towards Romney and associate with mostly people who are of the same opinion. Being somewhat of an “insider” so to speak, I’ll share with you some of the things I’ve seen and heard among Mormons leading up to and after the 1st debate that lead me to believe the majority of Mormons feel God helped Romney win the first debate.
1. People sharing their “testimony” of Mitt Romney
For those who are not familiar with the monthly Mormon “Fast and Testimony” meetings, I’ll briefly describe what they are. On the first Sunday of each month, Mormons fast usually from food and water, for a day and use the money they would have used to pay for food and donate it to those who are less fortunate. During the “Fast and Testimony” meeting in church, Mormons are encouraged to stand up and share their “witness” or “testimony” of Jesus and the gospel.
Although discussing politics in church isn’t a normal occurance, I have heard some Mormons getting up recently and testifying of how God is leading Mitt Romney and praising Romney for being such a good man.
While I do not condone testifying of men at the pulpit, I appreciate that people are excited for a potential leader of our country who they feel is a righteous person.
2. Fasting for Mitt Romney
For those who are not familiar with the Mormon concept of fasting for someone, I’ll briefly explain. Occasionally, Mormons will unite in prayer and fasting to pray for a person who is sick, a situation to improve, etc. The concept is that through fasting and meditation, one comes closer to God and the powers of Heaven are brought down upon the person or situation.
A week or so before the debates, I received a Facebook message from one of my fellow Mormon friends. She had joined a group to fast for Mitt Romney before the 1st debate so God could lift him up.
Judging from the historical leap in the polls Romney had after the debates, it is nothing short of a miracle. I think many Mormons believe that through prayer and fasting, Romney shined in the debates.
3. Putting Romney’s name in the temple
In Mormon temples, there is part of the endowment ceremony where people come together joining hands in a circle and pray for a list of names of people who are in need of help. The names are written down on little pieces of paper and put into a box and prayed over in general terms, not individually by name.
One of my friends was telling me that his parents, who are temple workers, saw Mitt Romney’s name on the pieces of paper numerous times as they were emptying the prayer box after the temple ceremony.
He then shared with me that he and many others feel that God helped Romney win the debates because of the prayers offered in his behalf in the temples prior to the debates.
Conclusion
While I do not have hard data, I do get the feeling that most Mormons feel that Romney was lifted up by God to help him win the debate and put him ahead of Obama currently.
I am also aware that those who do not support Romney feel that Romney cheated and lied his way through the debate to beat Obama. Those who support Obama also feel that Romney didn’t really do that great, it’s just that Obama did so poorly that Romney looked better than he is.
In order to gather some hard numbers on this issue, feel free to take the short poll below and as always, feel free to leave a comment.
Congratulations on completing both Mormon Lingo 101 and Mormon Lingo 201! You are now ready for the advanced stage of Mormon Lingo. These are words and phrases that the average Mormon probably hasn’t heard unless they served a mission, or have been around a Mormon affiliated university like BYU or Ricks College (now BYU-Idaho). After completing this section, you will be ready for the final exam!
Mormon Lingo 301
MTC: The Mission Training Center. This is a center where missionaries go to prepare before they serve on their full-time missions. Missionaries study culture, language, scriptures, and how to teach for 3 weeks if it is a non-foreign mission and up to 12 weeks if it is a foreign mission.
GA: Stands for General Authority. General Authorities are the main leaders of the LDS church consisting of the Quorums of the Seventy, the Twelve Apostles, and the First Presidency (the prophet and his two counselors).
Flirt to convert: I wouldn’t say this is an every-day LDS phrase, but it was one that missionaries jokingly used when on a mission. I heard it at BYU (Brigham Young University) as well. They used it in reference to flirting with a non-Mormon of the opposite sex to entice them to join the church.
“I never said it would be easy…I only said it would be worth it”: This was a phrase used in a picture with Jesus (see below) that I don’t hear much anymore, but frequently used to in the ’90s. It is actually a quote by Mae West and is nowhere to be found in the scriptures.
“comp”: abreviation of ‘companion’. Missionaries are assigned to have at least one companion on their missions, which is why you see them walking two by two on the streets.
“greeny“: brand new missionary
“dear john” : Letter sent to missionary from their significant other while they are on their mission letting them know they are breaking up with them.
“mish” : abreviation for mission…one would use this in the phrase “So where did you serve on the “mish”?”
“dad” : On a mission, each “greenie” recieves a trainer as their first companion. Missionaries would refer to this first trainer as their “dad”.
“grandpa” : The trainer of a trainer on the mission.
“AP’s or APES” : On a mission, the Mission President has two missionaries who are his right hand men in over-seeing the 150 or so missionaries assigned to that particular mission. They are called assistants to the mission president. Usually, rather than saying “assistant to the president” when referring to them, missionaries will call them “AP’s”. Occasionally, I’ve heard them referred to as APES…like the monkey.
“mission mom”: The mission president’s wife
“I killed him”: Term used when your companion goes home from his mission
“I was born in…”: Area where you started your mission
BYU: Usually people know this as Brigham Young University. However, I’ve occasionally heard people jokingly say it actually means “breed ‘em young university” because people get married so young there.
BRT : On a mission, when speaking with someone for the first time missionaries are trained to find common ground with them to build a relationship of trust. The shortened accronymn for this is to simply “BRT” with a person.
Split : The situation of a missionary companionship working with two local Elders and splitting up to cover two simultaneous appointments, also refers to the local Elders that assist in such endeavors
White Bible: White Missionary Rule Book
Congratulations for completing Mormon Lingo 101! You are now ready for Mormon Lingo 201! This will include words and phrases that unless you attend a Mormon church for awhile, you probably won’t hear all on the first Sunday you visit. Please review the list and if you add any additional indermediate Mormon phrases in the commentary, you will recieve bonus points on the final exam!
Mormon Lingo 201
The “Bish”: I usually heard this phrase when I was attending BYU, but it is a shortened term for “bishop”.
RM: Returned Missionary…someone who has been on a mission and has come home
EQP: I usually heard this term referring to the Elders Quorum President (men’s leader) when I was in college as well.
G’s or Holy G’s: Mormon are known for wearing “holy underwear” or “magic underwear” as many in the outside world call it. Inside the Mormon church, I’ve heard people refer to the garment as “G’s” or “Holy G’s”. This isn’t a common term and many Mormons would probably be offended by it. This is almost worthy of Mormon Lingo 301, which will be coming next week.
Peter Priesthood: A “goodie-goodie” Mormon boy that never does anything wrong and plays by the rules.
Molly Mormon: Same as “Peter Priesthood” except the girl.
Jack Mormon: A Mormon guy in name only. A Jack Mormon probably hits the bars, drinks, parties it up hard and may or may not go to church.
Motab: Abbreviation for “The Mormon Tabernacle Choir”
Sweet Spirit: Someone (unfortunately usually a girl) who is very nice, but unattractive
DTR: At BYU people who were dating, but it appeared not to be going anywhere (i.e. marriage) would sit down and have a heart to heart discussion on “defining the relationship”. Are we just friends, make-out partners, or is this for real? DTR is the acronymn for ‘defining the relationship’.
NCMO: Stands for Non-commital make-out. Happens all to often at LDS colleges.
BMW: I’ve heard Mormons jokingly call their station wagons back in the day “BMW’s”…or Big Mormon Wagons to hold all their kids.
CTR: This officially stands for ‘Choos the Right’ and there are cool rings that many Mormons wear to remind them to always choose to do the right thing in every situation (click here to learn about the history and see an image). I’ve also heard Mormons jokingly refer to CTR as meaning “Chase the Rich” “Corrupt the Righteous” and “Close the Refrigerator”.
PPI: Personal priesthood interview. Usually a leader in the Mormon church such as an Elder’s President will have an interview with members of his quorum to see if they are on track spiritually and this is abbreviated as having a “PPI”.
Mormon Standard Time: Mormons are usually just slightly late to their meetings and this is referred to as “Mormon Standard Time”.
The other day I went to a wedding reception for one of my cousins. While we were waiting for the stars of the show to arrive, a man dressed in a white shirt, dark suit and tie walked up to my family. I had brought my sister, who isn’t very familiar with the Mormon, or LDS church other than the few conversations we’ve had and the times she has attended church to see our kids get blessed (dedicated) when they were babies.
When the nice gentleman arrived, he introduced himself to us and we started talking. My sister asked him how he knew our cousins and the Mormon lingo started to fly. He said: “I’m their Stake President and their hometeacher…and also their friend.”
My sister looked at him as if he had spoken a foreign language and said something to the effect of “well that’s great!”, and the conversation pretty much ended there.
After he walked away, I explained what a Stake is in the Mormon church, home teachers, and also what a Stake President is. It made a lot more sense to her afterwards. I thought it was strange that he would introduce himself as the “Stake President” rather than his name, but that ‘s a different conversation.
That conversation, along with a recent talk in church caused me to reflect on Mormon culture and how we have conversations with each other that other groups would be very confused by, even though we are all speaking the same language. For those of you who are not Mormons, but occasionally come in contact with them, or know some of therm, I thought a little Mormon Lingo 101 may be useful.
The words and phrases I’ll share are from personal observation as a member of the LDS, or Mormon Church for over 25 years. The definitions I’ll cite from Mormonwiki.com. Also, there are a couple of other bloggers out there who have written about this too, so feel free to visit their sites. The ones I visited are: Minorproblems, Lightplanet, and an LDS forum on LDS.net.
As I was digging around, I came across a lot of Mormon lingo, so just for a little fun, I’m going to have this post be Mormon Lingo 101 and subsequent weeks will be Mormon Lingo 201 for a bit more advanced Mormon lingo including abreviations on some of the terms I’ll site here, followed by Mormon Lingo 301 that is mainly found when one is serving a mission for the Mormon church.
Mormon Lingo 101
Mutual: Mutual is the term members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints use to describe a weeknight activity sponsored by the Church for teenagers. Mutual got its name because it is supposed to encourage “shared experiences in which there is mutual respect and support for one another” (Church Handbook of Instructions, Book 2: Priesthood and Auxiliary Leaders [1998], 187 emphasis added).
FHE: Stands for Family Home Evening. It is a family night held weekly in Mormon households and Monday is the evening set aside for families to pray, play, and read scriptures together.
Ward: A geographical boundary designated for Mormon congregations. Typical size is 300-500 members.
Stake: A grouping of 7-9 Wards.
“feeling the Spirit”: Phrase Mormons use referring to communications received from God leading them in their lives.
“I know (fill in the blank) is true…”: This is a phrase very commonly used during fast and testimony meeting (see definition below). Mormons frequently get up and share their witness of “knowing” something is true when referring to a strong conviction of something (usually referring to prophets, the Book of Mormon, etc.)
Mia Maid: Name given to young women ages 14-16
Beehives: Name given to young women ages 12-14
Laurels: 16-18 year old young women
Priest: Male members ages 16-18 who have been ordained to the Aaronic Priesthood
Teacher: Male members ages 14-16 who have been ordained to the Aaronic Priesthood
Deacon: Male members ages 12-14 ordained to the Aaronic Priesthood.
Bishop: Leader of a Ward (the equivalent of a Pastor)
Stake President: Leader over the geographical Stake
Relief Society: Womens organization for ladies 18 years old on up. They work together with the Bishop to help members in the ward in need.
Relief Society President: Female leader of the relief society. The bishop’s “right hand man” so to speak for helping needy members of the ward.
Home Teacher: Each male member of a ward is assigned a “companion”, or another male member. These two companions are then assigned 3-5 families in the ward to visit on a monthly basis to share scripture with and assist in other ways as needed by the families they visit.
Visiting Teacher: Female members of the Relief Society are assigned companions and go visit other sisters in the relief society to give spiritual and temporal help.
Baptisms for the dead: Jesus Christ taught that baptism is essential to the salvation of all who have lived on earth (see John 3:5). Many people, however, have died without being baptized. Others were baptized without proper authority. Because God is merciful, He has prepared a way for all people to receive the blessings of baptism. By performing proxy baptisms in behalf of those who have died, Church members offer these blessings to deceased ancestors. Individuals can then choose to accept or reject what has been done in their behalf.
Getting a blessing: LDS male members who have the Melchezedick Priesthood can give blessings. They lay their hands on the heads of those seeking a blessing and, as guided by inspiration from the Holy Spirit, speak the words God would have the person seeking the blessing hear.
Active Member: A person who actively attends all or most of their church meetings and who holds a Calling
Inactive Member: A person who is a bapstized Mormon, but who doesn’t attend regularly or hold a Calling
Calling: A job, or assignment given to a member of a ward as inspired by the leaders of the ward or stake such as teaching the youth or children on up to being the Bishop or Relief Society president.
Bearing a Testimony: Sharing one’s witness, or conviction of something spiritual in nature
Testimony Meeting: Monthly meeting where Mormon members have an “open mic” and can get up and share their witness of something spiritual.
If you are a Mormon, you will probably think of many more things regarding Mormon lingo. Keep in mind, this is the first post that includes very basic Mormon phrases and words unique to Mormonism. I have 201 and later, 301 coming in the next couple weeks for the fun acronymns and other phrases that Mormons use when talking to each other.
If I missed any basic phrases or words, or if you have any insights, feel free to leave a comment.
Grace for Grace 
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