A Song by Josiah

The link below is a song written and performed by my son, Josiah, who is at Hillsong School in Sidney, Australia. Many of our supporters know Josiah and have heard him lead worship at the Manti Pageant.

Pass it on!


 


Blessings,
Chip

The “32 Questions” Feared by the LDS (Mormon) Church

"This is a great document to read and use with your LDS friends/family/missionaries. What makes it especially impactful is the credibility of the author. If you're not familiar with LDS teaching and witnessing, it's a great teaching tool on some of the LDS quandaries. If you're already familiar, it's a great review. Take a read!"

-Kim Jones
Tri-Grace Ministries, Associate Director





The “32 Questions” Feared by the LDS (Mormon) Church
By William Schnoebelen

Explanatory note: Back in 1984, I was an elder in the LDS Church and held a temple recommend. I had been to

the temple many times and had been an elders’ quorum president in Milwaukee II Ward. Due to reading both

the Book of Mormon and the Bible (King James LDS edition) through many times, I began to find all sorts of

problems with consistency between the Book of Mormon, the Bible AND current LDS doctrine, which I knew

pretty well (I had been a teacher in the LDS Church Institute of Religion).

The other factor that caused me to question was the differences between the current Book of Mormon and the

first edition. When going to the Salt Lake temple for our endowments in 1981, I had purchased a facsimile

edition of the original Book of Mormon published by the Church at the Deseret Book Store. The differences

were literally LEGION and they rattled me. Gradually, I began to put together a list of questions for my local

ward leadership. Finally, when they came to “home teach” us, I presented them with the questions – which had

grown to 32 in number by then. Pathetically, they had no answers for any of them. With the exception of

question four, all are presented with the original source documentation. In there was no DNA testing but the

differences, ethnically between Jews and Native peoples were still profound. It made no sense. So here are the

questions. If you are LDS, please repent and LEAVE the Church and come to the Messiah in saving faith!

1. If the Book of Mormon is the “most correct book ever written,”1 why were there more than 3,900

changes between the first few editions, many quite significant?2 For example, the first Book of

Mormon3 references King Benjamin on p.200.4 Later on, the name is changed to Mosiah. The names are

not even remotely similar!

2. LDS Doctrine (and Scripture5) teaches that there is a plurality (more than one) God. The Book of

Mormon says there is only ONE God in several places.6

3. The Book of Mormon teaches that God is a Spirit.7 Mormon theology and scripture teaches that He is a

glorified resurrected man with a body, parts and passions.8

4. A central claim of the Book of Mormon is that Native Americans are descended from Jewish people

who came over to the New World during the time of Jeremiah the prophet and the fall of Jerusalem. But

DNA testing proves conclusively that Native Americans have none of the genetic markers for Jews.9

5. Why does the Book of Mormon (which was supposedly finished around 421 AD) quote quite extensively

from the King James Bible, which was produced in 1611 – over a thousand years later? It even quotes

verbatim the italicized words that the King James translators added to the Hebrew and Greek text for

clarity of reading. Those words were NOT in Isaiah or Matthew in 400 AD. Explain this!

6. The Book of Mormon claims a huge battle was fought on Hill Cumorah10 between the good Nephites

and the evil Lamanites – we are talking hundreds of thousands of warriors! Many of the Lamanites had

armor and swords. Since the 1830’s the LDS church has claimed that they KNEW exactly where Hill

1 Joseph Smith, HISTORY OF THE CHURCH, vol. 4, p. 461.
2 See downloadable article from our website at www.withoneaccord.org on “Significant Changes in the Book of
Mormon.
3 Special Anniversary Facsimile Edition of the original 1830 Book of Mormon, published by the LDS Church in
1980.
4 There were no verse numbers in the original edition of the Book of Mormon.
5 Doctrine and Covenants (D&C) 121:32; 132: 18-20, 37
6 Testimony of the Three Witnesses, 2 Nephi 31:21, 3 Nephi 11:27, Alma 11:27-39 and Mormon 7:7
7 Alma 18:26-28 and 22:8-11
8 D&C 130:22
9 See the DVD, “DNA vs. the Book of Mormon,” available at www.withoneaccord.org.
10 Mormon 6:2 and following

Cumorah was - near Palmyra in rural New York State. In spite of this, and MANY archaeological digs

by Church archaeologists, NO evidence (bones, armor, arrowheads, etc.) has ever been found around

Cumorah. In the light of other archeology in the Holy Land, where evidence of Bible truth has proved

itself, this is quite damning for the Book of Mormon.

7. The Book of Mormon, in agreement with the Bible, says that the Word of God cannot change.11

However, both LDS practice and scripture say His Word CAN change.12

8. The Book of Mormon, again agreeing with Bible, says the Almighty cannot lie.13 However, in the Pearl

of Great Price, the Mormon “god” commands lying.14

9. Adam is said to have been in America.15 But the Pearl of Great Price, another LDS “scripture,” says that

Adam was in the Old World.16

10. Mormons are taught the “Law of Eternal Progression.” This states that God changes or evolves –

succinctly put in the following aphorism: “As man is, God once was; as God is, man may become.”

However, the Book of Mormon contradicts this by saying God never changes.17 This is echoed is

Mormon 9:9-10 as well.18

11. Mormons are taught a system of salvation by works, not faith. Yet the Book of Mormon teaches we are

saved by faith.19

12. Mormons tend to seriously discount the power of the saving blood of Yah’shua20 (Jesus). They even

carry this to the point of using water rather than red wine or grape juice in their communion service,

because it resembles blood. One Mormon apostle, Orson Pratt, said it had no more power than the

“blood of a dead dog.” Yet the Book of Mormon teaches that we can be saved “only through the atoning

blood of Jesus Christ.”21

13. Though Mormons have a complex, three-tiered system of salvation, involving things like temple work,

endowments, wearing of the temple garment, tithing, genealogy work, etc.; yet the Book of Mormon

teaches that, “…he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved.”22

14. Mormons are taught that they must baptize their dead ancestors in order for their departed loved ones to

be saved. However, the Book of Mormon makes it clear that the state of the soul at death is fixed and

there is no redemption after that.23 Please explain this paradox!

15. Mormons are taught that there are three levels of heaven and that almost all people except the most

wicked will make it to one of them. But the Book of Mormon denies this, and teaches an essentially

Biblical view of heaven and hell where only those who accept the Messiah are saved.24 What’s the deal?

16. Polygamy or plural marriage is commanded as necessary for salvation in the Mormon Doctrine and

Covenants scripture.25 Yet the Book of Mormon condemns polygamy (??).26 How can this be?

11 Alma 41:8
12 D&C Section 56:4-5
13 Ether 3:12, 2 Nephi 9:34
14 Book of Abraham 2:22-25
15 D&C 107:53 and 117:8
16 Book of Moses 3:8, 10-15
17 3 Nephi 24:6
18 For a third witness, see Moroni 8:18
19 Mosiah 5:7
20 Yah’shua is the Hebrew way of saying “Jesus.” Of course, I did not know this in 1984, but since getting
saved and growing in the Scriptures, I have been using His Hebrew name out of respect for more than a decade.
21 Helaman 5:9
22 Mormon 9:24
23 Mosiah 2:36-39, Alma 34:32-35
24 1 Nephi 15:35; 2 Nephi 28:22; Mosiah 16:11, 27:31; Alma 41:4-8, 42:16
25 D&C 132:1, 37-39 and 61.
26 Mosiah 11:2, Jacob 1:15, 2:24 and 3:5
3

17. A central feature of the “sacred” LDS temple rite is (Masonic-like) oaths that the temple patrons must

take, before being initiated into the gnostic, occult rites of Temple Mormonism.27 However, the idea of

secret societies and oaths is condemned in the Book of Mormon.28

18. The Book of Mormon teaches that the heathen can be saved without baptism.29 Yet, elsewhere Mormons

are taught the absolute necessity for their dead ancestors to be baptized in the temple in order for them to

be saved.30

19. Any zoologist or archaeologist will tell you that there is no evidence of horses being in the New World

prior to the coming of the Spanish in the 1500’s. Yet, the Book of Mormon speaks numerous times of

horses in their supposed pre-Columbian civilization.31

20. Scimitars (misspelled “cimeters”) in the Book of Mormon are featured in several passages.32 This is

amazing, because the Book of Mormon is set from before the time of Messiah to 421 AD. The scimitar

was actually unknown until it was invented around the 9th century in the Ottoman Empire. How did this

9th century weapon from the Middle East get into the 4th century New World?

21. LDS doctrine denies that there is a Trinity of one Deity in three Persons. However, in the Book of

Mormon “Testimony of the Three Witnesses,” we are told that the Father, Son and Holy Ghost are “one

God.” Both cannot be true. Please explain this?

22. Mormons deny that Yah’shua (Jesus) is God, but say He is only the Son of God. Yet the Book of

Mormon tells us that He IS God.33 Which is correct?

23. The Book of Mormon teaches that murder can be forgiven.34 Later LDS scripture (Doctrine and

Covenants) contradicts this.35 Please explain!

24. There is a serious “anatomical problem” with a sword battle in the Book of Ether (a book IN the Book of

Mormon). The hero, Coriantumr, smites off the head of the bad guy, Shiz. The verse following declares,

“And it came to pass that after he had smitten off the head of Shiz, that Shiz raised up on his on his

hands and fell; and after that he had struggled for breath, he died.” 36 Now, the question is, Shiz was

decapitated. How did he raise up on his hands and breathe his last? Also, which HALF of him breathed

his last? This is a ridiculous statement for a supposed scripture, it makes no sense.

25. Once again, Mormon leaders deny Yah’shua (Jesus) is God. They say He is only the Son of God and the

elder brother of Lucifer. Yet, why does the Book of Mormon say He IS God?37 Is the Book of Mormon

wrong, or are LDS leaders heretics?

26. In the same vein, Mosiah 13:34 says, “God Himself should come down among the children of men…”

This contradicts LDS theology. Please explain the contradiction?

27. BOTH the unity of the Trinity AND the deity of Messiah are affirmed in Mosiah 15:1-5. If it is the most

correct book ever written, why does it contradict the teachings of Joseph Smith and other LDS

leaders?

28. Since Joseph Smith and his account of his “First Vision,”38 Mormon leaders have affirmed that the

Father and the Son are two distinct personages. Yet the Book of Mormon speaks of “Christ the Lord

who is the very eternal Father.”39 How is this possible?

27 See William Schnoebelen and James Spencer, MORMONISM’S TEMPLE OF DOOM, 1987.
28 2 Nephi 9:9, 26:22; Alma 34:36 and 37:23-31; Mormon 8:27
29 2 Nephi 9:22-26, Mosiah 15:24-27 and Moroni 8:22-23
30 D&C 128:5 and 17-18
31 Alma 20:6, Ether 9:19 and elsewhere.
32 Alma 27:29, 44:8 and Enos 1:20
33 2 Nephi 11:7
34 3 Nephi 30:2
35 D&C 42:18
36 Ether 15:31
37 Mosiah 7:27
38 Joseph Smith-History 1:17-19
39 Mosiah 16:15
4

29. Mormons are taught that there is plurality of gods, and that – indeed – they can become gods!40

However, the Book of Mormon plainly tells us that there is only ONE God!41 Yet another contradiction?

30. The LDS Church mounts a huge genealogy program and encourages all members to baptize their dead.

This is based on the belief that dead people can repent and come to salvation. The Book of Mormon

contradicts this and says that this life is the time “for men to prepare to meet God.”42

31. As above, Mormons are taught that there are three separate gods in the Godhead. BUT, 3 Nephi 11:27 in

the Book of Mormon has “Jesus” quoting the gospel of John - even though John’s gospel was not

written until 50 some years after the events supposedly happening in the Book of Mormon. In any

event, “Jesus” says that He and the Father are one! Explain these two contradictions.

32. For decades, the LDS church taught that white skin was a sign of divine favor and that dark skin (either

Native Americans or Africans) was a sign of a curse from God, either for sins in this life or for sins in

the pre-existent state.43 It was further taught that if Lamanites (Native Americans) would repent and

become LDS, their skin would become white. Many hundreds of Native peoples have – unfortunately –

become Mormons over the years. Yet no one’s skin has ever turned color. Because of this quandary, a

change was made (one of THOUSANDS) in the Book of Mormon. In the older Book of Mormon

editions, its says that the Indians “shall be a white and delightsome people.”44 However, in recent

editions since the early eighties, the phrase was changed to “pure and delightsome people.” If the Book

of Mormon was correct before, why was it changed? Smith supposedly translated it with the “gift and

power of God.”45 How COULD there be errors?

40 D&C 132:20
41 Alma 11:26-32
42 Alma 34:32
43 Mormons are taught that all souls lived in a pre-existent state in heaven. Until the 1970’s, they were taught
that African people were cursed with a dark skin in this life because of a lack of valiance in the pre-existence.
Thus, for most of the Church’s history, Africans could not go to the temple or African men could not hold the
priesthood. This was changed by “revelation” in 1978 because the IRS was breathing down the Church’s neck
for being racist and violating the 1964 Civil Rights Act.
44 2 Nephi 30:6
45 D&C 135:3

Secret Mormon Rituals

The link below has gotten over a million hits already. It is very
interesting and is causing Mormon kids to ask questions...

Actual Mormon Temple Rituals secretly recorded:

tinyurl.com/MormonSecrets

Chip

Issues with Snow College

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/55128953-78/club-college-student-lawsuit.html.csp


The above article is about our legal issue with Snow College.

If you read the responses of people it is pretty sad. They pretty much
seem to think religion does not belong on a State College Campus.
Maybe some Christians should give their view points.

Here's the real problem. The policies discriminate against all
religious clubs. This discrimination does not affect the LDS Club in
any way because they have huge facilities, huge parking lots, out-door
pavilions all right across the street from the school.

 The policies really affect all the other religious clubs that do not have the
abundant funding of the LDS Church. So in reality the policies make
having a religious club almost impossible making this a one religion
campus--LDS.


Please continue to pray!

Blessings,
Chip

Chip Thompson of Tri-Grace Ministries explains a display in the Solid Rock Cafe in Ephraim, Utah - a town in central Utah that is nearly 100% LDS (Mormon). Why is this important? "Because the Bible is real." -Chip.

There are no such displays, anywhere, for the Book of Mormon.

10,000 Tissue Packages Given to Women At 2012 LDS General Relief Society Meeting

10,000 Tissues, The Outreach in Utah

Fun Manti Pageant Video

Video by Daphne Manderson

Great News About The Mormon Scrapbook

THE KOREAN MORMON SCRAPBOOK -- 



We were AMAZED this weekend as we met
with Pastor Cha (Korean Pastor of Bethany Baptist Church, in Layton,
Utah) to discover that he and three other Korean Church Elders had
translated the entire Mormon Scrapbook into the Korean language.

 They are concerned for the Christian community in Korea because there is no
information in the Korean language warning them of the deceptions of
Mormonism. 

We have tentatively agreed upon a plan whereby The Mormon
Scrapbook in Korean will be offered as a printed book and as a digital
download in the near future. 

This is a huge answer to prayer as we recognize the need to expose the false doctrines of Mormonism in countries outside of the USA where the LDS Church is growing by leaps
and bounds. 

Pray with us as we work toward offering The Mormon
Scrapbook not only in English and Korean but also in Spanish and
Portuguese. 

We believe these evangelistic tools will challenge
Mormonism all around the world.

 The Mormon Scrapbook is available on
Amazon and if you order it from GospelTruth4U you will also get a free
DVD.





Blessings,
Chip

This is a BIG week for Tri-Grace Ministries...

 This week the 2012/13 Snow College school year begins and we kick-off our Christian club with a flurry of activities. 

With the arrival of the new freshmen we started up the Solid Rock Internet Cafe once again. 

The Cafe is nothing more than a tool to draw students into our ministry house so
that we can build relationships and eventually share the truths of
God's Word with them. 

We also have our first Club social with free smoothies and table games again with the intent of building new relationships. Then comes "Club Rush" which is an opportunity to promote our Christian Club on campus and advertise our events and Bible studies. Followed by our annual Solid Rock Retreat to Wyoming.

Any students that we are able to connect with are invited to join us
for this retreat.

 Yes, there is spiritual opposition in all things--we can almost schedule an internet or computer glitch with the beginning of the new school year. And, once again, the Prince and Power of
Cyberspace has attacked again.

 PRAY FOR US!!! 

It is crucial that we connect with the handful of Christian students that attend Snow
College each year and introduce them to the community of Christians in
Ephraim. 

Snow College is ruled by Mormons and it can be a lonely and dangerous place for an isolated Christian.

 Again PRAY FOR US that God would draw those who are Christians into our ministry so that we can once again have a strong presence on campus.


Blessings,
Chip

Amazing Testimony!!

Former Mormon Bishop Lee Baker at the
Ephraim Church of the Bible sharing his testimony at the Manti Pageant Outreach

What About Archaeology?

So where is the archaeological proof of the Book of Mormon?




 

Mormon Research Ministry-Radio

Radio Interviews

Today we list the radio interview Chip Thompson had on Viewpoint on Mormonism at Mormon Research Ministry:


http://ia700600.us.archive.org/8/items/ViewpointOnMormonism/2012.07.16.InterviewWithChipThompsonPart1.mp3

http://ia600600.us.archive.org/8/items/ViewpointOnMormonism/2012.07.17.InterviewWithChipThompsonPart2.mp3

http://ia600600.us.archive.org/8/items/ViewpointOnMormonism/2012.07.18.InterviewWithChipThompsonPart3.mp3

http://ia700600.us.archive.org/8/items/ViewpointOnMormonism/2012.07.19.InterviewWithChipThompsonPart4.mp3

Manti 2012

Video of witnessing at the Manti Pageant 2012:



 

Joseph Smith- Free Mason?

Was Joseph Smith a Free Mason? 

The evidence of Joseph Smith's close connection to occultism and Freemasonry, and how this influenced the origin and development of the LDS Church is not well known outside of scholarly circles. This article summarizes the evidence for Joseph's personal involvement in both Freemasonry and occultism, and their influence on the Mormon religion.


"There is absolutely no question in my mind that the Mormon ceremony which came to be known as the Endowment, introduced by Joseph Smith to Mormon Masons, had an immediate inspiration from Masonry."
— Dr. Reed Durham, LDS Historian

Mormonism's Link to Occultism

Both Joseph Smith and his father were involved in the occult practice known as "money digging." This involved special rituals and ceremonies which were performed for the purpose of obtaining buried treasure thought to be guarded by evil spirits. Accounts of money digging during the late 1700s and early 1800s are documented in Alan Taylor's article "Treasure Seeking in the American Northeast, 1780-1830", published in American Quarterly, 38 [Spring 1986], pp. 6-34. This article specifically mentions Joseph Smith, Sr., and Jr., on pages 10-12, giving examples of their money digging activities. LDS seminary teacher Grant Palmer also documents the Smith family's occult beliefs and practices, as well as those of their close associates, in his book An Insider's View of Mormon Origins, (SLC, Signature Books, 2002, pp. 175-195).

For more on the subject, click on the link:

http://mit.irr.org/occultic-and-masonic-influence-in-early-mormonism






Blessings,
Chip

Temple Square Experience

Nothing But the Blood of Jesus Got Me Kicked out 

Dear FPW's (Faithful Prayer Warriors),

 

Yesterday was our Temple Square Field Trip. I have to say that I do feel empathy for the LDS Temple Security guards because we arrived with about 50 missionaries and as we pulled into the parking lot the mission team from Ankeny, Iowa, was also unloading (I am guessing with about 30 or so more missionaries). LDS Temple Security's job is to NOT allow Christians to witness to their people and 80 well trained Christian missionaries invaded their turf. This reminds me of our Lord's promise found in Matthew chapter 16, Jesus said, "I will build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." Try as they might to hold the fort, yesterday, we stormed the gates and there was nothing they could do to hold us back. 

 

DO NOT GET THE WRONG IDEA!!! We were not making a scene of any kind, we were just one-on-one speaking the truth, quietly and in love. And, I think I can speak for the LDS Security when I say that this type of  battle is a nightmare for them to fight because how do you kick godly Christians who love Jesus and are only speaking truth about Jesus off of the property of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints without looking like the bad guy. Yesterday a multitude of LDS people were challenged with the truths about Jesus and His glorious gospel message.

 

 I wish you could have been a fly on the wall last night as the groups arrived home and shared their stories. I also wish I could have each of the Christian missionaries share their amazing stories with you but as that is obviously not possible I will share a personal experience that I had yesterday with a young LDS lady named Nancy. Multiply my story by 100 and you will get an idea of the impact we had on Temple Square yesterday...

 

I was on the sidewalk just outside the North Gate at Temple Square passing out Jesus Christ / Joseph Smith DVDs when Nancy walked by. I offered her a free DVD and she responded by saying something like this, "No thank you, I am VERY happy in my religion!". 

 

And, I smiled and said, "I am VERY happy that you are happy." Not exactly sure why I said that - it just came out - but it must have caught her attention because a few moments later she walked back to me and asked, "What is your agenda?"

 

So again I smiled and said, "I think that Jesus is the most important person who ever lived on this earth and I think that His words are the most important words that were ever spoken. I just want the LDS people to trust Jesus and His words."

 

Nancy looked puzzled and asked, "You don't think we believe in Jesus?"

 

I think my response caught her off guard, I said, "I think you love Jesus but I don't think you know what Jesus actually taught."

 

Again she looked puzzled so I pulled out one of our new 4 step witnessing tracts (The Eternal Marriage Tract) and said, "I think this may help you to understand my point."(These tracts are GREAT because they draw them into the conversation and lead them down the path we want them to go. It is almost impossible for the conversation to get side tracked.)

 

This was when Nancy asked, "Can we sit down in there and talk about this?" and she pointed inside Temple Square to a bench in the shade. 

 

I said, "They won't let us talk about this inside of Temple Square."

 

She said, "I think it will be okay, nobody will care."

 

So I shrugged my shoulders and said, "Why not", and we went in, sat down and continued our conversation. I was surprised that we were able to sit there and talk as long as we did - probably for about 30 minutes. Then an LDS security guy spotted us and strolled by. A few minutes later he came back with 4 other big bouncer security guys and said, "We can't let you have this kind of a conversation on our property!"

 

Nancy said, "Oh, it's okay, we are just having a very nice conversation about what Jesus taught."

 

The Guard said, "No, you don't understand, you cannot have this type of discussion on temple property."

 

So I asked, "We can't talk about Jesus on Jesus Christ's property?"

 

The Guard then told us that it was really my T-shirt that bothered them. He said that if I wasn't wearing that shirt they would probably let us continue. 

 

I GET REALLY FRUSTRATED WITH CHRISTIANS THAT THINK THERE IS SOMETHING CHRISTIAN ABOUT MORMONISM!!! 

 

How could this shirt be offensive to any true Christian???

 

THE FRONT SAYS

 

 

THE BACK SAYS

 

 

At this point in the confrontation, Nancy said, "This is my fault, I asked him to come in here and sit down, it's MY fault, we will finish our conversation out there." 

 

So, we finished our conversation outside the gate. This was an amazing conversation because Nancy was what we would call a "Molly Mormon" - she was wholly sold out for Mormonism. And we discussed in detail the LDS doctrines of Eternal Marriage, The Preexistence, The Great Apostasy of the Christian Church, and Priesthood Authority. I was able to explain to her that none of these foundational doctrines of the LDS Church were ever taught by Jesus and in fact Jesus flat out disagreed with them. She was visibly shaken. 

 

She then bore her LDS testimony and I was able to show her, using LDS Church materials, that her testimony based upon feelings could not be trusted. I told her that the only person she could fully trust was Jesus and that the only words that would stand the test in the final judgment were the very Words of Jesus himself. Before my conversation with Nancy ended she promised that she would read the Gospel of John with the eyes of a child - that is she would read Jesus Christ's words and just trust Jesus to be true. Nancy also promised that she would contact me by e-mail to continue this discussion. 

 

Please pray for Nancy, our conversation was earth shattering to her. I am certain she had a very bad night last night wrestling with the truths we had discussed. Please, pray with me for God to open Nancy's eyes to His truth. AND, also pray for all the other LDS people who were challenged in similar ways by the army of Christian missionaries that invaded Temple Square yesterday. 

Four "Sisters" & 

The Big Bad Security Guard

Dear FPW's (Faithful Prayer Warriors),

I am certain that not all of you will be able to read all of our Manti Pageant Updates... but I committed myself to send a daily update for those who promised to pray every day for our outreach - so if you don't have time to read these we totally understand. But, PLEASE KEEP PRAYING whether you have time to read these or not.

THE FOUR (LDS MISSIONARY) SISTERS AND THE BIG BAD (LDS) SECURITY GUARD

On Monday we took the Manti Week #2 Mission Teams to the Salt Lake City Temple so they could experience the deception of Mormonism first hand. We sent about 40 Christian missionaries into the various venues surrounding Temple Square while the TGM Staff (myself, Shane, and Josh), went to the North Gate of Temple Square to witness on the public sidewalks. We of course talk with anyone who wants to talk but primarily we pass out the Jesus Christ / Joseph Smith DVDs. These DVDs are wonderful seeds that compare the teachings of Jesus and Joseph Smith and we were able to pass out over 100 DVDs to Temple Square visitors.

In the afternoon, something very unusual happened - four LDS Missionary Sisters came out onto the public sidewalk and leaned against the wall (it was a very hot day and I am sure the shade the wall provided was the draw). Well, of course we saw this as a God given opportunity to share the truth with these young ladies. So we all, one by one, tried to engage the sisters in conversation but they had obviously determined that they were not going to talk with us. This really bothered me and after praying about it for several minutes I again walked up to them very deliberately and said, "I am really bothered by the obvious tension that exists between us. Do you believe that Jesus is the most important person who ever lived on this earth?" 

They all nodded and said, "Yes, of course we believe that."

I then asked, "Do you believe that the words of Jesus Christ are the most important words that have ever been spoken in this world?"

Again they all nodded in agreement.

And I said, "We also believe that Jesus and His words are the most important thing in the world. So why can't we talk?"

One of the sisters very hesitantly said, "What do you want to talk about?"

And I held up side one of our boasting visual and asked, "Do you agree with Alma 26:12? It says, "I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things." 

They said, "Yes, do you disagree?"

I said, "No I agree with Alma 26:12 because it contains a true principle taught in the Bible." I then flipped the visual around and asked this, " The greatest prophet that ever lived said this about Jesus...  "He must increase, I must decrease." Who was this prophet? (Hint, he was the prophet who baptized Jesus.)

They all said, "John the Baptist."

I said, "Right, and why do you think Jesus said that he was the 'Greatest' prophet?"

They all looked at me and shrugged their shoulders so I said, "It was because he said, 'Jesus must increase and I must decrease.' John wanted all the glory to go to Jesus."

I then flipped to the other side of the tract and said, "Would you agree with this statement from Ezra Taft Benson (he was an LDS prophet about 20 years ago), President Benson said, "In the scriptures there is no such thing as righteous pride - it is always considered a sin... Pride is essentially competitive in nature. We pit our will against God's... As Paul said, they "seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ's." (Beware of Pride, April General Conference, 1989)
Again the girls asked, "Are you saying you don't agree with this statement?"

And again I said, "No, I actually do agree that pride is pitting your will against God's will. Pride is when you lift yourself up and push Jesus aside."

By this time the girls were looking a bit puzzled because we were agreeing on every point - we all agreed that pride was bad and that Jesus should receive all the glory. This is where things began to get interesting because I flipped the tract and asked, "Would it ever be okay for a person to make this claim... 'I have more to boast of
than ever any man had... I boast that no man ever did such a work as I.' "

One of the Sisters immediately responded by saying, "I have seen this before... are you trying to say that Joseph Smith said this?"

I said, "Right now I am only interested in your opinion about this statement. But, let's say that it was Joseph Smith who said this, would that be okay? Would it be okay for a prophet of God to say, 'I have more to boast of than ever any man had... I boast that no man ever did such a work as I' "?

She said, "I think that even prophets can make mistakes, so if he did it wouldn't bother me!"

I said, "Really? Because it was Joseph Smith who proclaimed this in a public sermon to the saints. Let me read the entire quote to you, Joseph Smith said, "I have more to boast of than ever any man had. I am the only man that has ever been able to keep a whole church together... Neither Paul, John, Peter, nor Jesus ever did it. I boast that no man ever did such a work as I. The followers of Jesus ran away from Him, but the Latter-day Saints never ran away from me yet." (History of the Church, Volume 6, published by the LDS Church, pg. 408-409.) Is is okay for a prophet of God to boast that he has done a greater work than even Jesus?

Again the Sister said, "I already told you that I think prophets can make mistakes."

I now moved to the next point in the Boasting Tract and said, "Do you know that there is a worse sin in the Book of Mormon than pride? It is found in Jacob chapter 2:22-28 which says this, "I make an end of speaking unto you concerning this pride. And were it not that I must speak unto you concerning a grosser crime, my heart would rejoice exceedingly... For behold, thus saith the Lord: this people begin to wax in iniquity... for they seek to excuse themselves in committing whoredomes... David and Solomontruly had many wives and concubines, which thing was abominable before me... Wherefore, I the Lord God will not suffer that this people shall do like unto them of old. My brethren hearken to the word of the Lord: For there shall not any man among you have save it be onewife; and concubines he shall have none; For I the Lord God, delight in the chastity of women. And whoredoms are an abomination before me."

I then said, "Do you know that Joseph Smith was guilty of exactly what this passage is talking about? He married 10 teenage girls two of which were sisters which is contrary to the Law of God. He also married two sets of Mothers and daughters which is also contrary to the Law of God. And imagine this, he married 11 married women who had living husbands. What do you think the definition of 'whoredoms' is? I think these marriages were abominations to God."

One of the Girls said, "Why are you trying to tear down Joseph Smith, we believe he was a prophet of God?"

I said, "Because we all agreed at the beginning of our conversation that the words of Jesus are the most important words that were ever spoken and Jesus warned us to test prophets by the fruits of their lives. When I obey Jesus and put Joseph Smith's life to the test I see self exalting pride and immorality with multiple women. These are not the fruits of a true prophet of God. Believe me, I am not trying to tear down your faith in Jesus I believe in Jesus with all my heart - I want you to trust Jesus - not Joseph."

This is where the BIG BAD LDS SECURITY GUARD enters the story. He walked up and listened to a portion of our conversation - which was calm and all about Jesus. He then said, "You are not allowed to corner our missionaries like this!"

I said, "Sir, I have not 'cornered' these young ladies. We are simply talking. Do you think I forced them to stay here and talk with me? They can walk away from this conversation any time they wish."

The Guard then pointed to the gate and told the girls to go inside and they all walked inside Temple Square. As they were walking away he sternly said to me, "I am warning you to leave our missionaries alone you do not have the right to trap them like this!"

I just calmly said, "We are on the public sidewalk and I did not trap anyone. I have every legal right to talk with anyone on the public sidewalk who is willing. I was asking the girls questions and they were engaging me in conversation. We were simply talking about Jesus and his warnings concerning false prophets. Anyone who claims to be a member of Jesus Christ's church should follow Jesus and should heed his warnings don't you agree?"

He then said, "The missionary sisters contacted me for help. Whatever you were telling them obviously made them feel uncomfortable so I am telling you to leave them alone."

I said, "Sir, sometimes the truth is uncomfortable! I am a devout follower of Jesus and have based my life on His words. Jesus commanded his followers to proclaim His message to the world. I just want those girls to trust Jesus and follow His teachings even if it is uncomfortable. I also want you to trust Jesus alone and base your live on His words. Are you doing that?"

The Guard then said, "I am not going to argue with you" and he turned and walked away.

Please pray for these missionary sisters. Yes, our conversation was "uncomfortable" but they needed to hear the truth about the false prophet they are following. Also pray for the "Big Bad Guard" he is human too and he has a very difficult job. Imagine being hired by the Church of Jesus Christ to stop Christians from talking about Jesus.

PLEASE KEEP PRAYING! We are looking forward to a very busy week - the Christian missionaries on the pageant streets this week number, we are guessing about 250. The biggest group of missionaries we have ever had on the streets.