Home Coming Talk March 18, 2012
Good Morning, Brothers and Sisters. I am glad to be able to speak today. It has been a while since I got home. But I am glad to finally have this over with. I went to Riverside, California on the mission. It was a blast. I was only able to stay out for 10 months before I had to come home because of knee problems.
I have been thinking for a few days what I wanted to say. As missionaries we went around, talking to all kinds of different people. We tracted, talked to people in parking lots, in parks and everywhere we met them. I am not sure how many people I talked to while I was out in the field. I don’t remember most of the people, or their names. I do, however, remember several conversations quite well.
Most of these conversations that I remember were not very pleasant to have. Some people really do not like our church at all. I ran into quite a few people who hated us. Every once in a while we would run into what we as missionaries called Born-Again Christians.
These are people who have found Christ. They didn’t believe in Him, but they had an experience that changed their views. I am very happy for those people. Christ is awesome! They, however, have a very different view of God the Father and Christ. They would frequently try to argue, debated with us about the different points of theology. This is commonly called bashing. It never got us anywhere with them.
There is a quote I read a few days ago that struck me. It is found in ‘How to Win Friends and Influence People’ by Dale Carnegie. “Arguing with another person will rarely get you anywhere; they usually end with each person more firmly convinced of his rightness.’ I saw this first hand whenever my companion and I tried to bash with someone.
So what were some of the theological points that would make people want to argue with us? There were three big ones: (1). The Nature of the Godhead. (2). Revelation and (3). Do we need authority to have the true church?
1. Here are some scriptures, found in the Bible, that describe the nature of the Godhead:
John 4:24:
God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
Matthew 3:15-17:
16 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:
17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
John 17:21
Genesis 1: 26-27
27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
So from these four scriptures we find that God is a Spirit, these is God the Father, Jesus Christ, the Spirit of God, or the Holy Ghost; that Jesus and God are one; and that we are made in God’s image.
How is this possible? We are not Spirits. We have tangible bodies. Spirits don’t! This is evidently something that confused many early Christians because they came up with the Athanasian Creed. This is a statement that most of Christianity today believe.
It states: That we worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity; Neither confounding the Persons; nor dividing the Essence. For there is one Person of the Father; another of the Son; and another of the Holy Ghost. But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, is all one; the Glory equal, the Majesty coeternal. Such as the Father is; such is the Son; and such is the Holy Ghost. The Father uncreated; the Son uncreated; and the Holy Ghost uncreated. The Father unlimited; the Son unlimited; and the Holy Ghost unlimited. The Father eternal; the Son eternal; and the Holy Ghost eternal. And yet they are not three eternals; but one eternal. As also there are not three uncreated; nor three infinites, but one uncreated; and one infinite. So likewise the Father is Almighty; the Son Almighty; and the Holy Ghost Almighty. And yet they are not three Almighties; but one Almighty. So the Father is God; the Son is God; and the Holy Ghost is God. And yet they are not three Gods; but one God. So likewise the Father is Lord; the Son Lord; and the Holy Ghost Lord. And yet not three Lords; but one Lord.
This is known as the doctrine of the Trinity. It is rather confusing.
The next point that people would frequently argue with us about was that we could not add more revelation to the Bible. We would always here about one scripture, in particular. I am sure any who have served missions heard this one many, many times.
Revelation 22:18
The argument here is that because we have the Book of Mormon, we are adding more scripture to the Bible. We have all the revelation we need, they say. This is the most frequently brought up objection to our church.
Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles gave a talk on this subject a few years ago in conference. It is entitled: ‘My Words Never Cease.’ He brings up many good points. Among there are: That this scripture cannot apply to the whole Bible because the whole Bible as we know it, with all of the books in one volume, didn’t exist when John wrote this. Many scholars believe that the book of Revelation was one of the first written by John himself.
One scripture we frequently when people went this direction in a bash was Deuteronomy 4:2
So here God is telling Moses not to add to the word which He has given to the Israelites. If this is still in effect, everything and everyone after Moses would be blasphemy.
The third point which people would try to argue with us was the need for authority. Mark chapter 3 gives us an example of how the authority of God, or the Priesthood, is transferred.
14 And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach,
The Catholic Church is the oldest church in Christianity. They claim their authority goes back to St. Peter himself. They understood that authority was necessary. I love this passage the book ‘A Marvelous Work And A Wonder’ by LeGrand Richards.
“Many years ago a learned man, a member of the Roman Catholic Church, came to Utah and spoke from the stand of the Salt Lake Tabernacle. I became well-acquainted with him, and we conversed freely and frankly. A great scholar, with perhaps a dozen languages at his tongue’s end, he seemed to know all about theology, law, literature, science and philosophy. One day he said to me: ‘You Mormons are ignoramuses. You don’t even know the strength of your own position. It is so strong that there is only on other (Church) in the whole Christian world, and that is the position of the Catholic Church. The issue between Catholicism and Mormonism. If we are right, you are wrong; if you are right, we are wrong; and that’s all there is to it. The Protestants haven’t a leg to stand on. For, if we are wrong, they are wrong with us, since they were a part of us and went out from us; while if we are right, they are apostates whom we cut off long ago. If we have the apostolic succession from St. Peter, as we claim, there is no need of Joseph Smith and Mormonism; but if we have not that succession, then such a man as Joseph Smith was necessary, and Mormonism’s attitude is the only consistent one. It is either the perpetuation of the gospel from ancient times, or the restoration of the gospel in latter days.”
During the Reformation many people split from the Catholic Church. King Henry the VIII declared himself the Head of the Church of England. He claimed he now had God’s authority on earth. But where did he get it? In the scriptures, the Priesthood was given through those who were ordained to give it. Not someone who claimed to have it.
I don’t know for sure what questions Joseph Smith had in the years before the First Vision. But I would bet he probably thought of these. He said that the different sects interpreted the Bible so differently as to destroy his confidence on other’s telling him which church was right.
So he read the Bible. It is the word of God. He read in James, chapter one verse five. I’m sure most of us have that one memorized. I won’t repeat it. But Joseph Smith went to the Sacred Grove, prayed, and got his answer. God the Father and Jesus Christ appeared to him and told him not to join any church, but that through him the true church would be restored.
As part of this restoration Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon. He was given the lost Priesthood authority by first John the Baptist, then Peter, James and John. Joseph Smith is a prophet, who had God’s authority.
But how do we know he is a prophet? Doctrine and Covenants Section 20:8-12 tells us. This is speaking of Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon.
8 And agave him power from on high, by the means which were before prepared, to translate the Book of Mormon;
9 Which contains a record of a fallen people and the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles and to the Jews also;
10 Which was given by inspiration, and is confirmed to others by the ministering of angels, and is declared unto the world by them—
11 Proving to the world that the holy scriptures are true, and that God does inspire men and call them to his holy work in this age and generation, as well as in generations of old;
12 Thereby showing that he is the same God yesterday, today, and forever. Amen.
The last two paragraphs to the introduction to the Book of Mormon read:
Those who gain this divine witness from the Holy Spirit will also come to know by the same power that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world, that Joseph Smith is his revelator and prophet in these last days, and that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the Lord’s kingdom once again established on the earth, preparatory to the second coming of the Messiah.
So if we read, ponder and pray about the Book of Mormon we will know if Joseph Smith was a fraud, or truly a prophet. This whole church lies on the foundation of the Book of Mormon. If it is true, and I know it is, the Joseph Smith is indeed a prophet. If it is not true, then everything he claimed is false.
As a missionary, one of the most frustrating things in the world is getting people to read the Book of Mormon. Many people would commit to do so, then would not follow up on their promise. No matter how much we as missionaries talked, we could not convince them that it was true. They themselves had to put forth the effort and test it. Once they truly humbled themselves enough to do so, they felt by the power of the Holy Ghost that the book is true.
I saw this on my mission. One girl, named Jessica, had been going to church for a while and hadn’t read the Book of Mormon. She and her husband move into my area, and we commit her to read it. She does and comes back the next lesson telling us she knew it was true.
I myself have prayed about the Book of Mormon. I know it is true. If you haven’t prayed about it, do it! If you already have, do it again. I have done it several times, and each time I get the feeling that it is truly God speaking to us. The Book of Mormon will bring us closer to our Savior, Jesus Christ. This is my testimony, in the Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
