A few months ago we were challenged at church to set a date and on that date, you were supposed to share the gospel with someone.
We picked Dec 28th as our day.
And it's the 30 and no one has even mentioned forgetting about the goal much less even mentioned it at all.
So I'm going to say a few things here. Kinda motivated by a conversation I had with a lady about a month ago.
Here's the low down:
I went to get my eye looked at. 3 years ago McSmiley scratched my eye and I'm still suffering with it. The visit cost me over $200, but I think I'm finally on the right track. Anyways, I was in the back room getting checked in by a lady who was wearing a blue dress, hair pulled up in a bun, no make up ... I took her for Mennonite.
She asked how many kids I had and when I said 8 it floored her. She wondered how we afforded it both financially, mentally, emotionally etc. I wasn't at all offended by her asking because I could tell she was truly curious and not being judgmental. I get asked these types of questions anytime people find out we have 8. I can spot judger from about 50 thousand miles away. She wasn't.
I then asked her about her religion, asked if she was Mennonite. She wasn't, but her religion was similar regarding dress code etc. I said that I knew Mennonites had large families and if her religion was the same. Regarding families. She simply told me she wasn't married and that was that.
She asked what religion I was and when I told her "Mormon" I could tell her face changed. I jokingly called her out on it. And asked what SHE knew about Mormonism. She didn't TOTALLY answer my question, but did say, "I just can't agree with having a Bible which says you don't add to or take away and then accepting another book. And I just can't agree with following what's said in this book that was written by some guy."
I wanted to explain things to her, I was comfortable enough with her, but in all honesty, I didn't feel it was right and I did notice, as she was sharing her understanding of Mormonism, she was getting a bit defensive. So I simply said, "I can understand why you would think that."
That wasn't a lie. Because honestly, if I heard of a religion that basically had some guy write another book to go along with the Bible and the members of that religion "canonized" that book, I'd be marginally SCARED of that person because I'd see that person as brainwashed. And brainwashed people are the scary cuz they're kind of ... Robotic.
Sooo, I'm going to write what I would have told that lady. Keep things simple so if one day, any of my kids wonder or struggle with their own understanding of their own religion, maybe they can read this and at least have an idea of what went on in their mom's head.
Having 8 kids actually comes in handy here. As I teach my own children the things that I feel are important, even crucial for their own upbringing, happiness, it makes understanding the purpose of the Book of Mormon that much easier.
All 8 of my kids get the same instruction. All 8 learn or will learn that you respect authority. They will all learn the importance of staying out of debt. Of working hard at school and sports. They will all learn how to play an instrument. They will all learn, because I'm their mother, the reasons of eating healthy and the wisdom of enjoying desserts. I want my kids to all learn the invaluable lesson that humor brings. They will learn the it's super important to run AGAINST traffic. I'll teach them everything I know!
What if we were separated? What if 4 stayed with me and 4 went to the opposite side of the world? Would I stop parenting them? No. I would call them, I would text them, I would write them. They would all still hear from me, know my wishes, hopes and desires for them. I'd still guide them. Not just the ones with me, but also the ones far away from me.
It's not fair to say that the Bible is THE ONLY WORD OF GOD. Come on! What's contained in the Bible? Commandments, counsel, words of wisdom, warnings, teachings. And who got all this information? The people who lived in that area. Way back when the Bible was being written, what was happening? God was guiding people via his prophets. And they all lived in the middle east. The orient. Whatever you may call it.
What about the other continents? What about the other people who didn't live on that side of the world? What about, dare I say it? The AMERICAS? I mean, when Christopher Columbus discovered America, what did he find? More PEOPLE. Where was THEIR bible? Where are the stories of God talking to his prophets like he did the prophets in the middle east? Would it have been fair that God only spoke with prophets to guide His children in Jerusalem?
Of course not. God also guided the people that Christopher Columbus found. And there's records of His interactions with His children in the Americas. That's the Book of Mormon. In this book, you'll find teachings from Heavenly Father to His children via prophets in the AMERICAS. Commandments, counsel, words of wisdom, warnings, teachings. Matthew, Mark, Luke and John never walked amongst the people in North, South, and Central America. How could they have? And what about Abraham, Noah, Isaiah. How could they have?
But that's OK because guess what? There were other prophets in America, talking to God, guiding His children. Only their names were Nephi, Lehi, Alma, Moroni.
That's why the Book of Mormon has on the cover, "Another testament of Jesus Christ." Because guess what? Like the prophets prophesied of Christ coming in the Bible, the prophets in the Americas also prophesied of Christ coming in the Book of Mormon. And when Christ told his people after he was resurrected, "Other sheep I have which are not of this fold, they will also see me and hear my voice..." well, guess what? There's an account in the Book of Mormon of Christ visiting the Americas!
If find it so extremely exciting!
So no, Joe Smith did not write the Book of Mormon. Long story short, the last prophet in the Americas to write in the plates, he buried the book and years later, centuries later, Joseph Smith dug them up. And translated them into English.
It's actually quite simple. Really. We are all God's children. All "8" of us. He spoke to His children in Jerusalem (and surrounding areas) and all the teachings and commandments are found in the Bible. Thank goodness for the Bible! He also spoke to his children in the Americas and all of THOSE teaching and commandments are found in the Book of Mormon. And because both books contain the teachings and commandments of Jesus, then guess what? The Bible and Book of Mormon compliment each other. They BOTH testify of Christ.
Which leads me to believe there are probably many other books out there, written by ancient prophets, that haven't been uncovered yet. Because guess what? I'm confident there are more "peoples" out there who were lead by prophets who spoke to Heavenly Father and Christ. I believe this because I know we are all God's children and He desires to teach and guide us all.
Just as I desire to and guide all of my children.
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