Stumbling Over My Beard

Recently, some have asked if they could have access to some of the letters that I shared a couple of years ago chronicling and encapsulating my family’s conversion to the Lord and subsequent departure from institutionalized religion.  This, along with a renewed desire to experience and testify of His grace, is why I am re-posting this and a few other letters.  Some of the writing has been edited to remove references to specific people, while still maintaining the integrity of the original message.  It is my hope and prayer that this may be of some help to others who may be struggling to put their own experiences and thoughts into words.  Please feel free to use and share as the Spirit guides...  -Rex Pettingill

11 March, 2017

Other letters in this series: 
"The Gospel, According to Yoda" (10.22.2014 letter to family)
"Stumbling Over My Beard" (2014 un-delivered letter to Pres. XXXX regarding a Doctrine of Men)
"Walking on Water" (3.16.2015 first public "Coming-Out" letter to friends and family)
"Enjoying the Promised Feast" (5.11.2015 testimony letter to friends and family)
"Moroni's Weakness" (5.18.2015 letter to the Bishop)
"Names Upon the Altar" (5.19.2015 letter to the Bishop)

"Baptism, More or Less" (11.17.2015 post/email regarding the requirements for baptism)

"Got Wisdom?" (11.18.2015 post/email about the fruits of repentance and need for rebaptism)

(This is a letter written sometime late 2014, but never delivered.  It was, nonetheless a very therapeutic endeavor.  It illustrates once again just how much the members of the LDS Church are programmed to follow a strong man, worship the arm of flesh…)

President XXXX:

I need to stand up for all of the selfish, half-committed brethren out there (i.e. those with beards, and, by association, long hair).

I was shocked and concerned by the comments you made this morning in Stake Priesthood Leadership meeting.  Regardless of how you attempted to frame the topic, the story you told to illustrate the point created a fatal flaw in your message.  We must be very careful not to use the comments made by some visiting authority during an informal Q&A session from the pulpit as the basis for doctrinal discourse.  The suggestion (or outright assertion, as was the case) that a good man is guilty of keeping the work from moving forward simply because he has a mustache is, to me, preposterous.  You will find much greater doctrinal support for claiming that a man is guilty of keeping the work from moving forward when he looks at another man’s mustache and thinks (or worse, SAYS in in front of a congregation) “You are keeping the work from progressing because you do not look like me.  Emulate my appearance.”  Regardless of the overall principle being taught this morning – that we need to commit more fully to the Lord and eliminate those things from our lives that are keeping us from doing that – the specific vignette you used to illustrate the point was, in my opinion, flawed and in no way based upon eternal truth.

I am sickened by the attitude that so many of the older members of the church have and continue to perpetuate concerning beards and long hair.  These people are viewing the world through a prism that is nearly half a century old.  Where is the stigma now, in 2014, that used to be associated with beards and long hair in the 1970’s?  It is all but gone – except in the minds and hearts of those who may have lived through and experienced a culture where such things were associated with dissent, revolt, rebellion, and so forth – or in the hearts and minds of those who have been taught that these things are wrong and to judge others regardless of the absence of any cultural stigma associated with the behavior.    There is likely a reason that there is no specific, detailed policy in the Church Handbook of Instructions (or, most importantly, the scriptures) regarding beard and hair grooming.  

“Unlike modesty, which is an eternal value in the sense of rightness or wrongness in the eyes of God, our rules against beards and long hair are contemporary and pragmatic. They are responsive to conditions and attitudes in our own society at this particular point in time. Historical precedents are worthless in this area. The rules are subject to change, and I would be surprised if they were not changed at some time in the future. But the rules are with us now, and it is therefore important to understand the reasoning behind them.

There is nothing inherently wrong about long hair or beards, any more than there is anything inherently wrong with possessing an empty liquor bottle. But a person with a beard or an empty liquor bottle is susceptible of being misunderstood. Either of these articles may reduce a person’s effectiveness and promote misunderstanding because of what people may reasonably conclude when they view them in proximity to what these articles stand for in our society today.

In the minds of most people at this time, the beard and long hair are associated with protest, revolution, and rebellion against authority. They are also symbols of the hippie and drug culture. Persons who wear beards or long hair, whether they desire it or not, may identify themselves with or emulate and honor the drug culture or the extreme practices of those who have made slovenly appearance a badge of protest and dissent.”  

-Dallin H. Oaks, President of Brigham Young University, December, 1971 (emphasis added)

To suggest that those with facial hair and long hair are withholding from the Lord by retaining for themselves a small piece of their individuality is wrong.  Is individuality evil?  Would the Lord have us all dress the same, look the same, and even act the same?  I do not think so.  I believe that the Lord blesses us each with unique gifts, personalities, strengths, weaknesses, and experiences so that we may better bless the lives of those around us, and add to the diversity and beauty of God’s creations.  If this were not the case, we would all be genetically identical.  

Sadly, this problem is not limited to goatees and mullets.  I wish it were.  So many LDS people practice a religion and lifestyle that has become convoluted with culture and tradition - the philosophies of men, mingled with scripture.  

-Rex Pettingill

The Gospel According to Yoda

Recently, some have asked if they could have access to some of the letters that I shared a couple of years ago chronicling and encapsulating my family’s conversion to the Lord and subsequent departure from institutionalized religion.  This, along with a renewed desire to experience and testify of His grace, is why I am re-posting this and a few other letters.  Some of the writing has been edited to remove references to specific people, while still maintaining the integrity of the original message.  It is my hope and prayer that this may be of some help to others who may be struggling to put their own experiences and thoughts into words.  Please feel free to use and share as the Spirit guides...  -Rex Pettingill

11 March, 2017

Other letters in this series: 
"The Gospel, According to Yoda" (10.22.2014 letter to family)
"Stumbling Over My Beard" (2014 un-delivered letter to Pres. XXXX regarding a Doctrine of Men)
"Walking on Water" (3.16.2015 first public "Coming-Out" letter to friends and family)
"Enjoying the Promised Feast" (5.11.2015 testimony letter to friends and family)
"Moroni's Weakness" (5.18.2015 letter to the Bishop)
"Names Upon the Altar" (5.19.2015 letter to the Bishop)

"Baptism, More or Less" (11.17.2015 post/email regarding the requirements for baptism)

"Got Wisdom?" (11.18.2015 post/email about the fruits of repentance and need for rebaptism)

Not part of the original letter, but this is fitting

10/22/2014

“To seek something is to believe in its possibility.”  

Profound words.  I wish that I could say that I got them from some revered, influential thinker like Gandhi or Locke or Confucius.  Actually, I think probably Yoda or Mace Windu said it during a Jedi Council meeting - the phrase appeared on the screen as I sat down to my daily indulgence of late, watching on Netflix past episodes of Clone Wars – in this case, Season 5, Episode 3 “Front Runners” (Hey! Stop hating and don’t judge me; there is a reason each episode is only 22 minutes long – so that they won’t exceed the attention span of young, adolescent boys or the patience limits of a gown, married man’s wife. They are just long enough to reasonably claim, “Sheez!  I was only watching while I ate my afternoon snack!”)  Anyway, the words struck me.  “To seek something is to believe in its possibility.”  For me, the timing of the message is of no coincidence.   The words epitomize my journey of the last few years, and especially these past several months.  They echo the words of Alma, who said that if we are to find the truth we must first give place for it in our hearts to exist.  

“Now, if ye give place, that a seed may be planted in your heart, behold, if it be a true seed, or a good seed, if ye do not cast it out by your unbelief, that ye will resist the Spirit of the Lord, behold, it will begin to swell within your breasts; and when you feel these swelling motions, ye will begin to say within yourselves—It must needs be that this is a good seed, or that the word is good, for it beginneth to enlarge my soul; yea, it beginneth to enlighten my understanding, yea, it beginneth to be delicious to me.”  (Alma 32:28)  

Believe in its possibility, and the truth will follow.

I read a couple of days ago the letter in which Mom shared her thoughts and feelings with all of you in a recent email about her spiritual journey – one that has led her down a path that some of you may feel is in the wrong direction, one that leads away from the Brethren and the church, one that you may call “apostasy”.  She mentioned that I had accepted the invitation to act on faith and search for the truth that she has discovered.  I would like to clarify:  I have not just accepted the invitation.  I have embraced it.  I have reached out and grasped hold of it with all my might.  And I have never felt such hope and joy in my life!

I have been a good Mormon, and I have been a terrible saint.  For years I have served and sacrificed in my efforts to lead my family.  I have been an Elder’s Quorum President, a Young Men President, a High Councilor, and have served in the bishopric.  I have attended countless Priesthood meetings and delivered numerous sermons, talks, testimonies, and lessons.  Not that I ever believed that service in a church calling qualified a man, but it should count for something, shouldn’t it?  My heart is in the right place, right?  And I have stumbled and failed in many respects.  I know that Christ atoned for my many imperfections; I have taught and testified of His atonement, and know of its power.  But that knowledge seemed unsupported by what I often felt in my heart and what was evidenced in my life.  For several years, and especially the past couple of years, I have felt a great void in my life – and a great deal of sorrow.  And the implications of these feelings, wrought by a lifetime of well-intended indoctrination, terrified me.  I do not want to lose my family, to not be able to protect and guide them in the perilous times ahead.  Yet, I have felt that there is something missing, something that if I lack, I will be powerless to save them.  Call it revelation.  Call it the influence of the Spirit.  Whatever the church calls it, it hasn’t been enough.  I have been bitter at times and blamed God.  Why has God lied to me?  Where is the peace and joy and blessings that faithful LDS families are promised?  I resigned myself to believing that I must not be worthy enough, that I was too lazy, or that my choices in life put me where I am and that this was just my cross to bear.  Choices and consequence and agency and all that.  Maybe someday, maybe later after the “trial of my faith” things would change.  God never promised to deliver us from our trials, after all, but to support us through them, right?  Melendie and I were becoming hopeless, feeling betrayed by the church for which we have and continue to sacrifice so much.  Remember, we still have a son on a full-time mission.  We felt that either we were just unfaithful, or that there was something seriously lacking in what we had been taught.

But I have recently come to understand that feeling an increased influence of the Spirit has much less to do with your behavior, or even changing your behavior, than it has to do with your knowledge of God, and your efforts to know Him.  Knowledge of God leads to sanctification as the desire for anything less diminishes.  And frankly, sitting through week after week of lessons in High Priest Group listening to men drone on about the lives of mortal men and about regurgitated conference talks in which one authority quotes another who quotes another was doing very little to increase my knowledge of God.  Joseph Smith taught that knowledge of God is what will save us.  He was not talking about an understanding of church history, or a mastery of scriptures or doctrinal issues, or a secular understanding of biblical culture and languages and such.  He especially was not talking about gaining knowledge about the lives of men.  He meant knowing God as you know someone else.  Knowing God, not knowing about Him.  Joseph also taught that it is impossible to have faith in God without first having a basic understanding of who He is – of the nature of God and how He deals with His children.  

And so it was that for the past few years I would go to church and endure fast and testimony meetings, taking notes every week.  Here is what I found: Did you know that, on the average, in every testimony meeting there are 11-14 testimonies born, four of five of which are from children under the age of 8 who claim to KNOW that certain things are true?  Did you know that in the average testimony meeting, while President Monson or the church and the Brethren are mentioned in almost every testimony, Christ is given no little more than cursory mention only one or two times, and the prophet of this dispensation, Joseph Smith, is mentioned little more than that?  This may be different in your wards, but it certainly is the case in the wards that I have observed in my stake and in my travels.  I have come to believe that we have placed a man or men between God and the individual – something that Christ never taught, and something that Joseph never taught.  On the contrary, the Prophet Joseph taught, “We have heard men who hold the priesthood remark that they would do anything they were told to do by those who preside over them [even] if they knew it was wrong; but such obedience as this is worse than folly to us; it is slavery in the extreme; and the man who would thus willingly degrade himself, should not claim a rank among intelligent beings, until he turns from his folly. A man of God would despise the idea. Others, in the extreme exercise of their almighty authority have taught that such obedience was necessary, and that no matter what the saints were told do by their presidents they should do it without any questions. When Elders of Israel will so far indulge in these extreme notions of obedience as to teach them to the people, it is generally because they have it in their hearts to do wrong themselves.” (Joseph Smith, Millennial Star, vol. 14, #38, p 593-595)

For years I would hear the mantra, “Follow the prophet! Follow the Prophet!  Don’t go astray!” I would read the church magazines and see article after article after article about the prophet and the Brethren.  I would look in Deseret Book and see volumes about the life of the current and past presidents of the church, written by themselves or their peers, and sold for a nice price.  I was taught that all we need is the Holy Ghost to confirm to us that what the Brethren are saying is true – and if we do not get a confirmation, we should wait and follow anyway.  I was taught not to question, really.  But some questions were becoming too big to be ignored.  The issue of priest craft and celebrity-worship of the Brethren was a huge deal for me, after rubbing shoulders with several of them during my tenure on the high council and watching my bishop get giddy when mentioning his associations with them.  (When I discovered that the area and general authorities, and mission presidents, all make a comfortable living or very sizeable salaries from their service in the church…well, this is too much information for now and for this letter…)

And then most recently in conference, at least 7 of the talks on Sunday were about or spent a significant amount of time discussing– you guessed it – following the prophet – oh, and following ALL the brethren since they are ALL prophets and seers – and cannot, will not lead you astray.  The Church cannot fall, they claimed.  Read the talks if you don’t believe me.  Is that the way to salvation, then?  All we have to do is follow these men and we will be saved.  THEY WILL NOT, THEY CANNOT LEAD US ASTRAY, right?  There is no need, really, to seek to know God personally.  Besides, He will not speak to you, because He already has someone with whom He speaks.  The best you can hope for is a manifestation of the Holy Ghost (good, peaceful feelings, usually, we are told) that what this man and/or the Brethren says/say is true.  That is good enough for ALL of the presidents of the church since Joseph, after all, and it should be good enough for you.  I am not being sarcastic – this is a direct teaching from a recent lesson from the Teachings of the Presidents of the Church.  I can’t remember which one.  Joseph F. Smith, maybe.  But the message should sound very familiar to you all.  We have been taught it for most of our lives.  Regardless, I am sharing this because these are the thoughts and feelings that have occupied my heart and mind the past few years as I tried to serve the church.  Serve the church and follow the prophet.

I did not encounter or begin studying the teachings that Mom mentioned until only a few months ago.  It was not these teachings that led me to feel or think the way I do.  It was the way I have been feeling and thinking that led me to these teachings.  To seek something is to believe that it is a possibility.  I was ASTOUNDED that almost EVERYTHING I have learned since then has addressed EXACTLY the concerns that I have been mulling for three years – and has done so ONLY through and as the scriptures, particularly the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and Lectures on Faith, have been opened and expounded.  (Yes, Lectures on Faith, Joseph’s teachings of the nature of God and how to have faith in Him were at one point part of the official canon of scripture endorsed by the church and by God as such; they were edited, revised, and eventually removed almost 100 years later in 1921 by a committee of the Brethren who felt that they knew better the nature of God than did Joseph.  Again – another topic for another time).   Everything I have learned has come as I have been willing and tried to look at these teachings with a different perspective and an open mind free of preconceived notions.  There is nothing “fringe” or “deep” or even “new”, just basic principles such as faith, repentance, baptism, covenants, priesthood, etc.  No new scripture, but a perspective in which it is not the gentiles that are being warned or condemned, but the members of the church – particularly its leaders; that it is not man who confers priesthood, but God; that God intends, even commands that we seek to know and have an audience with Him while yet in the flesh, and that indeed, unless we do, we will not, we cannot hope to endure His presence or that of His messengers when they return to the earth.  God will not send out His servants to burn the wicked at His coming.  God and his angels simply are, and no unclean thing can exist in their presence.  We must be sanctified and conditioned while yet in the flesh to be able to endure His presence at His coming.  Nothing new here – just forgotten and dismissed.  We are taught, after all, that the teachings of the current prophet (and now, by extension, all the Brethren) supersede previous prophets and scripture.  So there is no need for the words of Joseph, or any other long-dead and obscure prophet.  So let’s remove them from scripture.  Let’s only use the words of the Savior when they are convenient.  Let’s mingle the philosophies of men with the occasional scripture.  And how is this type of teaching received?  Very well, apparently.  But I for one am seeking the further light and knowledge that has been promised me by the Savior.  

Recent attention has been brought to the talk by Ezra Taft Benson entitled “Fourteen Fundamentals in Following the Prophet” as a way to warn and condemn those who would deviate from anything that the Brethren may say.  I would submit to you that most of that talk is a compilation of quotes of men who are quoting other men.  Read in particular the section in which the notion that a prophet can NEVER lead you astray is addressed.  Perhaps it can be said that a true prophet that is faithful to the mission with which the Lord has entrusted him will not lead us astray.  But since when is the prophet also the president of a multi-billion dollar non-profit world-wide corporation and the apostles all paid board members of that corporation’s subsidiaries?  Where is the scriptural or historical evidence for the notion that ANY man is incapable of leading the people astray?  Where are the words of the Lord that confirm this?  What did Joseph Smith say that confirmed this?  Read D&C 121.  Study the ancient churches and their civilizations in all the dispensations and how they fell into apostasy and ruin.  I would suggest that you also take a look at this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJ0alO-fSEM

(Please try and dismiss all of the annoying and unnecessary movie clips and inserts of sarcasm included in the presentation, but try instead to listen to the message.)      

I believe that Joseph Smith was and is a prophet of God.  I believe that the gospel was restored through him.  I believe that the Book of Mormon is true.  I also believe that, contrary to current church doctrine, the restoration is not yet complete.  That work remains for the remnant that will hear the Lord’s voice and accept it.  I do not believe that it can be said that because A is true (JS is a true prophet) and because B is true (B of M is a true record), then C must also be true (ALL the presidents of the church since Joseph Smith until now have been prophets and that the church is as true – no, more true and perfect today than it was it 1835).  I will not place my faith and salvation in man or an institution of men, especially one that claims so boldly to be infallible and incapable of wrong.  I will not “stay in the boat”, not when the Lord beckons me to follow Him.  It would certainly be easier to just put on the blindfolds and mufflers and “Follow the Prophet”.  Don’t worry, my dear children, my beloved wife.  All we have to do is go about our lives, and as long as we just follow the prophet and the Brethren we do not need to worry.  He will lead us through all of our trials.  I want all of you to know - my brother, my sisters, my parents, my in-laws - I boldly and unequivocally testify to you that this is NOT what the Lord tried to teach us through his prophets of old.  It is NOT what his prophet Joseph taught.   It is not what the Book of Mormon teaches.  The admonition to follow Him requires a great deal more faith and work than the call to follow the prophet/president.  But that is the only way to salvation.  We must KNOW Him.  We must learn to recognize His voice, to know His will.

In closing, consider this: What did we teach as missionaries when we presented our investigators with the Book of Mormon and with the knowledge about Joseph Smith and the restoration?  We quoted Moroni 10:4, “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“.  Do we really believe that?  Do we as members of the church claim to have exclusive rights to  deliver that promise, or that it only applies when non-members are seeking to know the truth of one thing, but not another?  How about the admonition of James?  Do we truly believe that God will answer the prayers if, Heaven forbid, a member seeking to know whether what he/she is currently being taught by his/her leaders is true, or whether the new information he/she has received, regardless of its source, is true?  I think we would be hypocrites to think that we have the exclusive franchise on the words of James or Moroni.  And we know how God feels about hypocrites.   

I love all of you.  I sincerely hope and pray that you take the time to read or listen to and study the information Mom has sent you, and that you will do so with an open mind – one free of preconceived notions or a propensity to gauge everything you read based upon what you think you already know; rather, ask the Lord to help you have a sincere heart, to help you have real intent, and to manifest the truth of it unto you.  It is quite a lot, I know.  I have read and studied so far only 5 of 10 lectures, each over three hours long when they were first delivered.  But I love my family.  I want to know of my standing with God, and to receive forgiveness from Him, not through some man, but from Him.  I know that I will need His guidance if I am to navigate my family through the trials and tribulations that are sure to come.  I have been more enlightened and uplifted over the past few weeks than I have been in as long as I can remember – ever, really, and I know that it is the Holy Ghost’s increased presence in my life.  Like Mom, I am coming to love and appreciate the Savior and His servant, Joseph, more than I ever have before.  I am grateful for this.  I love the Lord, and I know that I will answer to Him.  I would love to share with you more of what I have learned and feel, if you are interested.  

Love,

Rex

Translating and Revealing: Some Fruits Manifested in a True Prophet

Many people assume that because I am ex-LDS I do not believe in prophets, seers, and revelators.  That is false.  I absolutely do.  However, where we differ is the belief in what qualifies one as a prophet and what their role is in relation to the people.  My understanding as to what defines a prophet is one that is founded upon doctrine, the word of God, and scriptural-historical fact, not a cultural or traditional belief. What you may think a prophet is may be completely contrary to what a prophet actually is.  I know of many messengers from God, and I can tell you, just like the prophets of old in the scriptures, none of these messengers hold any leadership position or status or respect in an organized church hierarchy.  They are true witnesses of Christ because they talk with God face to face and their message is for us to do the same.

As a missionary for the LDS church we would teach about prophets and quote this scripture:

“Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits….”(Matthew 7:15–16)

We would then explain how the Book of Mormon was “fruit” that Joseph Smith is a prophet because he translated/revealed (the translation was a revelation process)  the Book of Mormon through the power of God.   Revealing and translating ancient scripture is one gift and fruit a true prophet exhibits (see D&C 107:91-92,124:125, how did Moses write the account in Book of Genesis? hint: Moses 2:1). You should expect those that come unto you who appear as innocent sheep and declare themselves as prophets to also manifest these kinds of fruits.

Very recently a record, more scripture, has been revealed.  It is the Testimony of St. John.  It contains many of the plain or precious parts that have been removed from the Bible.  If this is the true record of the fullness of John, this promise has just been fulfilled by God:

"And it shall come to pass, that if you are faithful you shall receive the fulness of the record of John."(Doctrine and Covenants 93:18)

If that is the case, the man (Denver Snuffer) through whom this was revealed, exhibits gifts and fruit typically associated with a prophet. So if Denver is a prophet, (although he has not claimed to be one) what does that mean to me?

Well, as I stated earlier, what you may think a prophet is may be completely contrary to what a prophet actually is.  I do not honor or revere Denver the same way others may honor and revere those they esteem as prophets.  The Word of God, or Truth, is the only thing in this world that deserves that sort of religious respect and honor.  I do not follow Denver, nor is he the authority or head of a church organization.  He is just a messenger from God who is sharing the much needed correct information for others to connect with Christ.  He does so by expounding upon the scriptures and speaking the words of Christ.   It is the message, not the messenger, that is important- a message to come unto Christ, to know Jesus face to face, and receive of the fullness of the Father.

Ask yourself for a moment: why is the Book of Mormon so important?  Is it so you can simply join the correct religious organization and go to heaven because of your affiliation with and testimony of that institution?   Or does the Book of Mormon contain something of greater significance and substance to our spiritual well-being?  Joseph Smith said concerning the Book of Mormon that "a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book." (TPJS pg. 194)  

If you are a true convert to Mormonism, you should have gained a testimony of the Book of Mormon for its message for you to have your own relationship with God, not for devotion to the organization that introduced you it. If the former is the case, you do not understand the scriptures - your loyalty is to man (the arm of flesh) and you are practicing idolatry.

God didn’t give you the Book of Mormon so that you can learn more about a church institution. He gave you that record so that you can more fully understand Jesus Christ and connect with our Lord and Savior.

So what is God’s purpose for you to receive the promised record of John? Is it to prove that Denver Snuffer is a prophet (he doesn’t take credit for the revelation, nor is his name on the document because it is from heaven), or does it contain something of greater significance and substance to your spiritual well being?  The following was revealed to Joseph Smith about this promised record:

"And it shall come to pass, that if you are faithful you shall receive the fulness of the record of John.I give unto you these sayings that you may understand and know how to worship, and know what you worship, that you may come unto the Father in my name, and in due time receive of his fulness."(Doctrine and Covenants 93:18–19)

The purpose of this record is to restore plain and precious information—what to worship, how to worship, and ultimately, how to come unto the Father and receive the fullness of what He offers.  It has come to pass because of the faithfulness of the few who have taken the Book of Mormon seriously. Hallelujah! Thank You Jesus!!

I would invite anyone who has a testimony in the true message of the Book of Mormon to approach this record the same way you did when you sought to come to a knowledge of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon.  I would invite anyone belonging to a Mormon church, who claims they would not have rejected their founder as a false prophet for talking to Jesus and revealing more scripture, to give this revealed testimony that same fair, open-minded consideration.

I share all these things with you, (specifically my friends and extended family) because it is an opportunity to repent- you should embrace these opportunities with the hope and excitement to know God and attain to greater light and truth.  Now is the time to prepare to meet Him, to perform your labors and watch for Him. It is the eleventh hour, and midnight is drawing nigh.  I share with you this revealed testimony so that you may know how to prepare yourself for the Bridegroom and obtain oil for your lamps for that coming wedding feast.       

“And then shall my revelations which I have caused to be written by my servant John be unfolded in the eyes of all the people. Remember, when ye see these things, ye shall know that the time is at hand that they shall be made manifest in very deed.Therefore, when ye shall receive this record ye may know that the work of the Father has commenced upon all the face of the land.Therefore, repent all ye ends of the earth, and come unto me, and believe in my gospel, and be baptized in my name; for he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned; and signs shall follow them that believe in my name.And blessed is he that is found faithful unto my name at the last day, for he shall be lifted up to dwell in the kingdom prepared for him from the foundation of the world. And behold it is I that hath spoken it. Amen.’(Ether 4:16–19)

Click here for the Testimony of St. John from Denver Snuffer's website

Becoming Love

For my Ethics and Values class I have been studying the moral philosophies of Kant and it's causing me to question many things about this existence, primarily the intent of actions. What I am coming to understand concerning this reality is that all human actions, behaviors, and beliefs are derived from two sources. One is fear, the other is love. The first is fueled exclusively by selfishness, the second is driven purely by selflessness.

How many of the choices that I make on a day to day basis are actually conceived out of pure love, a selfless intention?

When I reflect on my motives and intentions, I realize that I am wicked and wretched man, for most of my day to day actions are derived from selfish motives; they are derived from fear.

If I am full of fear, then I am not Being of love. If I am not a Being of love, as God is, then I can not be in harmony with Him nor be in His presence, for in order for one to be in His presence they must be like He is; Love. (1st John 3:2-3, 4:7-8,16-21)

It not good enough to simply do good and loving things, you must actually become, at the Being level, a source in which goodness and love flow from, an instrument in which God's love and light can shine unto the world. Your works alone will not save you, it is the purity of the motive and intent driving your good works which will give you salvation. For the Apostle Paul said that even if he gave all his goods to the poor, and had not charity, it profiteth him nothing.(1st Cor 13:2) When you have charity (Not just doing charitable things, but actually possessing this attribute of God), you are at the very core and center, Love.

I will choose to cleave unto charity, which is the greatest of them all. Which means I will question the intent of every course of action I seek to pursue, even on a day to day basis, to see if it is in line with the will of God. Then I will act in accordance to love, and not fear.

This is a hard and tedious thing to do because it goes against my selfish nature, but If I want to expect it to be "well with me" in the last day, I must be found in possession of charity, the pure love of Christ. I can not possess this unless I become this, unlesss my heart is purified through Jesus Christ.

If any of you share the same desires as me let us pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart that we may be filled with this love, which love He hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of His son, Jesus Christ; that we may become the sons and daughters of God, that when He shall appear we shall be like Him, for we shall see him as he is, that we may have this hope: that we may purified, even as He is pure. Amen.  (Moroni 7:48)

Post-LDS Atheism: A Truthful Explanation

Why Do Most People Who Leave the LDS Chruch Become Atheists?

I recently read an article titled: “The Alarming Truth Behind Anti-Mormonism” By Dustin Phelps

The author makes some good points, however I do not agree with many of his conclusions. He implies that the only alternative to being LDS is being Atheist. Here is the link to that article:

The Alarming Truth Behind Anti-Mormonism

Now here is my response and thoughts as to why do so many people who leave the LDS Chruch become Atheist:

 

To start, I want to share a couple of stories or “parables” to illustrate some points:

Parable 1:

There once was a religious man who was very devoted to his church and his religious beliefs.  He never doubted his religion because he never would question it.  He chose to believe in his church, true blue, through and through. He did everything that was expected by his church.  In his teenage years he became an eagle scout, went to weekly youth activities and summer church camps, and was ordained to several offices of priesthood in his church system.  He served a 2 year proselyting mission for his church, graduated from the church university, and was married in the temple.  Throughout his life he continued to read his scriptures, say his prayers, fasted and attended to the temple with his ward once a month, gave tithes of all that he had, and performed his church callings.  He served in several high position in the church and was always exactly obedient to his church leaders.  He believed with all his heart that his church was the true church and that since he belonged to that church, he would be exalted.  Believing this gave him much comfort and peace, so he would reinforce this belief by declaring to all that “I know the church is true!” Over time he became more and more complacent in his spirituality and in his search for light and truth, for he believed that since he was able to maintain a temple recommend, he therefore had done everything that was expected of him, and therefore would be saved.  In troubling times, he believed he was safe in his church because the church president would always be there to tell the members what they needed to do.  He was so grateful to have such great men to guide him in life.  Near the end of his life he could not think of any sin that would keep from entering into the Kingdom of Heaven. He maintained his temple recommend therefore he felt ready to go!

On the day of judgment, much to this man’s surprise, he was unable to enter through the gates of the kingdom of heaven.  Confused and shocked, he asked the Gatekeeper, “Lord… Lord… did I not go to church every Sunday?  Did I not serve a mission and maintain a temple recommend? I served diligently in the church, did I not do many wonderful things in your name?”

Then the Gatekeeper replied, “You never knew me.  Depart from me, you cannot enter in the kingdom of God for you are without law or covenant, and therefore cannot abide in my presence and glory for your body will not be able to stand the everlasting burnings of the Father.”

“What!? Lord, how did I not ever never know you?  I was part of the true church. I felt good about it.  Did I not live your gospel my whole life, did I not go through every saving ordinance?”

“I gave mankind the ordinances not as an end in itself, but as tool to teach mankind how to enter into my presence,” the Gatekeeper answered.  “You went through the ordinances, but never gave them any deep thought.  You were never baptized by fire and the Holy Ghost.  You never received your endowments directly from me.  You went through the ordinances in a church, but you were never ordained by me.  I am the keeper of the gate, and I employee no servant here. Only I can save you and you must go through me.  You said your prayers, but you never cried from the heart unto me.  You read your scriptures, but you never searched and treasured them in an effort to draw near unto me.  You were exactly obedient to your church, but that was obedience to the commandments of men - not to me. You never inquired directly of me to know if the life you were pursuing was in accordance with the will of the Father; instead, you relied in your church for direction.  I actually had great plans in store for you, but ye never sought from me those commandments.  The will of the Father was that ye receive the testimony of me, but because of pride, your heart was never broken, and therefore you were unable to come to know me.  I sent unto you messengers the same way I have always sent messengers into the world, but you rejected them because the message of repentance did not make you feel good as they testified of my word, which revealed your iniquities. You had your church, but you wouldn’t receive and have me.  I’m saddened and hurt that you would not let me in.  Because you never spent time with me, you never truly lived the gospel.  I love you, but you wouldn’t receive my love, my mercy, my grace, my sanctifying blood, my testimony to become like me while in the flesh.  Therefore, I can’t testify to the Father on your behalf, depart from me, ye that work in inequity.”

The man left in utter despair.


Parable 2:

There was another man in this same church.  He was exactly like the first in his youth and young adult years.  He did everything which was expected of him by the church.  However, this man was not as complacent in his spirituality.   He felt as if he lacked something and he had honest questions about things that didn’t add up in his church.  He would bring up these concerns up in church meetings, but was always counseled by church leaders to trust in the church because the leaders had the “keys”.  He was told to have faith and he was told about longsuffering and enduring to the end.  So he turned to the church and continued to seek diligently to do everything that was expected of him by the church in the hopes that he would receive answers and blessings.  Despite that, he continued experienced trials and tribulation, never receiving comfort or aid from God.  His family suffered though contention, tribulation, and heartache.   He was frustrated and confused, for he was trying his hardest to be faithful to do everything expected of him by the church.  He was exactly obedient to the church, but no fruits were coming forth.  He didn’t feel any closer to God through his efforts in church.   He finally snapped one day.  Feeling betrayed and deceived, in anger he ripped down the pictures frames of Jesus on his wall and shattered them on the floor.  In frustration he threw his scriptures in the trash.  Instead of turning to the word of God, (he didn’t know how to receive revelation through the Word because he was taught throughout his life to turn to the church leader’s for answers and revelation). He turned to other sources for truth.  Through the internet, he discovered several ugly truths concerning the history of his church and the modern day corruption of it.   

He came to a conclusion and declared, “I have been lied to my whole life; this church is choke of lies and is false!  Because this church is false this restored Gospel of Jesus Christ is a bunch baloney.  I don’t believe in this make believe fairy-tale character Jesus.  There is no such thing as God.”  From that day forward, his heart became ever hardened toward God, and therefore he was unable to receive any guidance and help Christ tried to offer him.  He chose Atheism.  His hardness of heart eventually lead him to know nothing concerning God, and was thus he was taken captive by the devil, and lead by his will down unto destruction.

On the day judgement, he was sad that he was unable to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, but it was of no surprise to him.

The first man died a church-going religious man, the second man died an atheist.  Although both men had different beliefs they were exactly the same.  How?

Because neither had a connection with God, neither knew God.

Why did they not develop a connection with God?

Because they both made the Exact same mistake: they trusted in the arm flesh, or the precepts of men.  Instead of relying on wholly upon Jesus Christ, they relied in man, their church leaders.

Trusting in the Precepts of Man

Cursed is he that putteth his trust in man, or maketh flesh his arm, or shall hearken unto the precepts of men, save their precepts shall be given by the power of the Holy Ghost.(2 Nephi 28:31)

Why is cursed is he who putteth his trust in man?  Why are we cursed when we hearken or follow the precepts of men?  First, let’s define “precept” as it would have been used when the Book of Mormon was translated:

“In a general sense, any commandment or order intended as an authoritative rule of action; but applied particularly to commands respecting moral conduct.” (from the Webster 1828 dictionary)

Google defines a precept as “a general rule intended to regulate behavior or thought.” The precepts of men are the rules, regulations, beliefs, and policies enforced by men.

Religious organizations are full of rules, regulations, beliefs, and policies; when followed, they may constitute good moral and social behavior, but many of these precepts are unscriptural and not doctrinal, and therefore not the precept of God but are the precepts of men. Still, why is it dangerous to follow the precepts of men if they lead to good moral and social behavior?

The answer is false hope.  When we have hope we have an expectation. God gives us hope or an expectation through promises and covenants, or laws, to live by.  You can call these the precepts of God. God is bound to that law which he gives to us.

"There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated—And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated."(Doctrine and Covenants 130:20–21)

"I, the Lord, am bound when ye do what I say; but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise."(Doctrine and Covenants 82:10; emphasis mine)

The Lord always delivers on his promises when we do what He says, if He wasn’t able to deliver, he would cease to be God.  So, if we follow a precept of man, fully believing that if we follow that rule or law we will receive a promise blessing, will we actually receive a blessing?  The Lord says “When ye do not what I say, ye have no promise”.  When we follow the commandments men, we are not doing what the Lord has said, therefore we have no promise.

The danger is that people in religion struggle to distinguish the precepts and rule of men from the commandments and laws of God.  They place their hopes and expectations in the precepts of man (commandment of men taught as doctrine in church), believing them to be the word and promises from God.  When the expected result does not come from living the precept, they doubt and blame God, thinking that he is not a trust-worthy being, or that he may not even exist. The sad thing is, they only believe this because of misinformation, causing them to not understand God.  In anger they turn away from Him, cutting their connection with Him, and drift towards philosophies such as Atheism and Agnosticism.  

Can you see why cursed is he that hearken or follows the precepts of man?  Satan LOVES the precepts of man.  It is how he attacks us to cause us to hate and distrust God. Its proven to work. Satan even used this tatic in the very beginning on Eve.

Learn about how Lucifer deceived Eve by using her precept against her here: Precept of Eve vs the Subtle Serpent

The Precepts of Men is the Poisoning of Religion

"Yea, they have all gone out of the way; they have become corrupted. Because of pride, and because of false teachers, and false doctrine, their churches have become corrupted, and their churches are lifted up; because of pride they are puffed up."(2 Nephi 28:11–12; emphasis mine)

The precepts of men is the poison of religion.  It distorts our perspective of Jesus Christ from something beautiful, adorable, intimate, magnificent, even playful, into something distant, overly formal, weird, stagnant, and something to be feared.

This is why the greatest opponents during the mortal ministry of Jesus Christ were the religious authorities of Judaism: The Pharisees and Scribes.  They taught the precepts of men. It wasn’t necessarily their strict observance to the Law of Moses where they messed up, it was their adding to and diminishing to God’s original commandments in the Law of Moses.  (See Dued 4:2,14:2) When man adds anything or diminishes from God commandments, or in other words declares more or less than God’s doctrine, (3^rd Nephi 11:39-40, 18:12-13, D&C 10:67-68,93:24-25) they are preaching the precepts of men.  The scriptures I just listed state that doing this is of the evil one, and if you declare such things as doctrine, the gates of hell will receive you. Spreading false doctrine by preaching the precepts of men is no small matter to God.

The Pharisees and Scribes taught the precepts of men through what the new testament describes as the “traditions of the elders” (see Mark 7:1-9) The traditions of the Elders were the outward rules and policies, which were more or less than the law of Moses, were unscriptural, and did not conform to God’s doctrine.  Jesus, being the scandalous Savior and rebel He is, went out of his way to break every false tradition and precept of man, all the while holding true to the commandments of God.  He condemned such traditions and precepts saying:

"Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.  And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition."(Mark 7:7–9; emphasis mine)

How many of the things preached and practiced in your church actually conform with the Doctrine of Christ and the scriptures? How many of the rules, regulations, traditions, and expectations enforced in your religious organization, are actual commandments of God?  How many of them are an attempt to maintain an appearance and feeling of righteousness, or to maintain good moral and social behavior?Questions your beliefs and practices.  Search the words of Christ and hold those precepts to God’s standard of truth and measuring stick: THE SCRIPTURES.  If you do you so with an unbiased approached, with a sincere desire to know truth (Moroni 10: 4-5), you may be surprised by how similar your church is to the religious culture of the Pharisees and Scribes. 

  

So, why do so many people who leave the LDS church completely lose their faith in Jesus and Mormonism and become Atheists?    

Because they were raised to believe such precepts as:

"Follow the prophet, follow the prophet, don’t go astray."

"Follow the Brethren, they can NEVER lead you astray."

"The Keys, The Keys, The Keys!"  

“The Lord will never permit me or any other man who stands as President of this Church to lead you astray. It is not in the programme. It is not in the mind of God. If I were to attempt that, the Lord would remove me out of my place, and so He will any other man who attempts to lead the children of men astray from the oracles of God and from their duty.”

"STAY IN THE BOAT!"

"The book is blue, therefore the Church is true."

Is this belief doctrinal, or is is a precept of man?
Find out here:
Can the Prophet Lead You Astray? 

Can you support these precepts with scripture?  I don’t mean selected scriptures quoted out of context (ie. the philosophies of men mingled with scripture). And I don’t mean quoting general authorities who quote other general authorities who quote former general authorities.  Has God declared these things? Are these statements doctrinal, or are these the developed traditions of your elders?  Are these precepts an example of how men teach for doctrine the commandments of men in your church?

From a young age, millennials have been conditioned to place their trust in man and make flesh their arm.  They are raised to believe the biggest and most damaging precept of all:

The Gospel of Jesus Christ and the Church are the same thing. In order to live the Gospel you MUST remain an active member of the Church.

This is a lie, but millennials, because of their upbringing in the false traditions of Mormon culture, cannot separate God from a religious organization.  When they noticed the lack of fruits in the church, when they discover ugly church history that reveals the abominations and doctrinal contradictions of a past church leader, when they recognize the priestcraft and corruption in the modern church and realize that the brethren are in fact fallible, that they are just men who can indeed lead you astray, and who contradict and wrest the scriptures, these unfortunate souls reject the church outright, and in the process, throw-out the Book of Mormon, Joseph Smith, the Restoration, and Jesus Christ.

This is why religion, when corrupted with the precepts of men, becomes the greatest opponent and enemy of Jesus Christ.  Ironically, this why institutionalized religion has been and still remains the greatest stumbling block for those seeking to come unto Christ.  (see 2^nd Nephi 26:20)

This is why Satan loves the Precepts of Man and uses corrupted religion to cause God’s children to distrust and disbelieve Christ.

This is why so many people who leave Church become Atheist.  This isn't something to be proud about or to be used as argumentum for the LDS Chruch being "the true church"; that through rejecting the church you can no longer find truth anywhere else.  The Chruch should be deeply concerned and take into consideration that maybe because of their pride, false teacher,  fasle doctrines, they are driving honest truth seekers away from Christ, proselyting far and wide only to, as the bible puts it, make people twofold more the child of hell than themselves. (Mathew 23:15)

Beware of trusting in false doctrine, the precepts of men.  Just as leaven in bread will change the chemical make-up of the bread, false doctrine is what poisons religion and perverts our perspective of God.  

"Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees….Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees."(Matthew 16:6-12; emphasis mine)

How to Avoid the Following the Precepts of Man

The truth, Jesus Christ, is independent of all religious organization, and although a church may be dependent upon the Holy Ghost, the priesthood, and Christ; the Holy Ghost, the priesthood, and Christ are not dependent upon the church.  The Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ and the LDS church are two different things.  One is dependent upon the other.  Never in the history of mankind, or in the scriptures, has a person been saved, exalted, or redeemed because of their testimony in a Church organization.  It was always their testimony in Jesus Christ, their relationship with God, which brought them salvation.  Study the Book of Mormon and tell me this is not so.

If you want to keep millennials from becoming Atheists, preach to them no more the precepts or men, but teach them the words of Christ.  Be unbiased, be 100 percent real, and hold yourself and your church against the words of Christ.  No church or man is above the word of God or the truth. Give millennials the truth and nothing but the truth, even if it makes your church organization not appear as this shining city on the hill, give it to them. All truth, no matter how ugly it may appear to be, is faith-promoting because it is liberating as is what makes you free (John8:32). They are hungry for the it.   Ground and anchor your lessons in the scriptures - the Word of God.  Don't tell white lies to your kids or allow them to be feed false traditions.  Raise you children in light and truth. (D&C 93:40)  Teach them to go to directly to Jesus and to trust wholly in Him who is mighty to save, not a group of mortal men.  Abide in Christ and obtain your own direct connection with God so that you can teach them to do the same.

When Jesus was on the coast of Caesarea Philippi he asked his disciples the most important question one can ask themselves concerning Jesus, “But whom say ye that I am” (Mathew 16:15)

Jesus was pleased with Simon Peter’s answer, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” (Mathew 16:16)

Jesus replied saying:     

Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.(Matthew 16:17–18; emphasis mine)

Mortal man is made of flesh and blood.  Blessed is Peter because he didn’t receive this knowledge that Jesus is the Christ from another man, or in other words, the arm of flesh. He received this knowledge directly from God.  This rock is referring to how Peter received this personal testimony: directly from God the Father.  Jesus then declares that upon this rock will He build His church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.  This language is used at the end of 3^rd Nephi 11 when He is describing the doctrine of Christ.  The entire purpose of the Doctrine of Christ is to enable you to receive the Holy Ghost so that you can become one with God, thus establishing your own personal and direct connection and relationship with Jesus Christ.  This what the actual Church of God consists of.  The Rock is each individual coming to know the Lord for themselves.  This privilege is not reserved for the select few elite religious “authorities”, but for each person, from the least unto the greatest.

"But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more."(Jeremiah 31:33–34;emphasis mine)

This is why the Lord has declared through the Prophet Joseph Smith concerning those who are members of God’s church:

“Behold, this is my doctrine—whosoever repenteth and cometh unto me, the same is my church. Whosoever declareth more or less than this, the same is not of me, but is against me; therefore he is not of my church.”(Doctrine and Covenants 10:67–68)

Christ’s church is not limited to a copyrighted trademark of a religious organization.  Its members will consist of people from all walks life who have repented and have come unto Christ. (see 3^rd Nephi 18:25 for what it means to come unto Christ).  Each person will know for themselves, not merely believe, that Jesus is the Christ, because they received that knowledge of Christ not by man, nor the will of man, neither by beginning of days nor end of years, but from God.  (see JST Gen14:28-29)

When you are connected directly to Christ, and receive the word of God DIRECTY from God, and not the polluted precepts of men, then will you have an assurance that the life you are pursuing is in accordance with the will of the Father.  Trusting wholly in Jesus is how you avoid the precepts of men.  

Is Atheism Really the Only Alternative When Leaving the Church?

Atheism is not the only alternative to membership in the LDS church.  I am proof of that.  During my service as an LDS missionary, I had my crisis of faith.  I had to choose whether I would trust in man or trust in Christ.  I chose to follow Jesus Christ, and in that process I found God.  He has required much from me,  which has included my membership in the LDS church.   Although I am not LDS, I am still very much a Mormon because of my testimony of the Book of Mormon.  I received a divine witness of that book at a young age.  I believe that Joseph Smith is a Prophet, and I have come to know, for myself, that Jesus Christ is a very real, personal, and intimate God. He is my Savior and my Lord.  He is my Jesus.  The words of Christ, the scriptures, the Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, are what keeps me anchored in truth.  The Doctrine of Christ as found in 3^rd Nephi 11, 2^nd Nephi 32-31, and Moses 6 is the foundation upon which I build.  I have not converted to another church organization; my conversion is an ongoing one to Jesus Christ. I seek to belong to Him.  I am a non-denominational Mormon and Christian.  I don’t consider Non-Denominationalism as a gateway to Atheism; in contrast, my faith in God and devotion to Him is stronger now than it ever was when I belonged to a denominated religion.   

In my journey with Christ, I have come to know many people who have left the LDS church and have since become more immersed in the words of Christ and are closer to God than they have ever been before.  It may be true that many people who leave the church abandon God in the process, but that is not the case for all.  There are people, who in the effort to seek for greater light and knowledge, and deeper intimacy and love with God, have realized that in order to keep God’s commandments, they must forsake the precepts of men.  In that process, they have been forced to sacrifice their membership in LDS Church.   

Atheism is not the only alternative to membership in the LDS Church. Another alternative is to repent, rely wholly upon Jesus Christ, abide in His doctrine and gospel, and come to know Him, today.

"Verily, thus saith the Lord: It shall come to pass that every soul who forsaketh his sins and cometh unto me, and calleth on my name, and obeyeth my voice, and keepeth my commandments, shall see my face and know that I am"(Doctrine and Covenants 93:1) 

"Behold, this is the doctrine of Christ, and there will be no more doctrine given until after he shall manifest himself unto you in the flesh. And when he shall manifest himself unto you in the flesh, the things which he shall say unto you shall ye observe to do."(2 Nephi 32:6)

"And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent"(John 17:3)

"Enter ye in at the strait gate; for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, which leadeth to destruction, and many there be who go in thereat; Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it."(3 Nephi 14:13–14)

"O then, my beloved brethren, come unto the Lord, the Holy One. Remember that his paths are righteous. Behold, the way for man is narrow, but it lieth in a straight course before him, and the keeper of the gate is the Holy One of Israel; and he employeth no servant there; and there is none other way save it be by the gate; for he cannot be deceived, for the Lord God is his name."(2 Nephi 9:41)

"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."(John 14:6)

"And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall."(Helaman 5:12)