February 1, 2010

Dear Family and Friends,

Lindsay and Matt Vessey
I am happy to report that Matt Vessey and his wife Lindsay finally moved to Utah earlier this month. Both serve on our Board of Directors, but Matt is our CFO (Chief Financial Officer). Lindsay works with Open Doors Ministries and Matt is currently looking for a job. Please pray that God will open up something soon for him as they are expecting their first child in May.

I also have a new video up on YouTube called “Mormonism Denies the Eternal Father and Eternal Son.” Much is made of the LDS God having to become a God, but not as much is made of their Father not always being the Father and their Son not always being the Son.

I have begun distributing our Beware of False Prophets tracts door to door around our neighborhood. The first day of tracting I got an email back from a neighbor, who was encouraged by the tract and told me that he used to be LDS and is living for Jesus. I went to visit him a few days later for a time of fellowship. A couple weeks later he came over to our place, and told us he's been meeting with his ex-bishop and the other visiting LDS teachers for a while now. He wanted to revisit Mormonism just in case he missed something. Being sealed to his wife "for time and all eternity" is a temptation, even though it doesn't make much sense to him. His wife is still devoutly LDS, so please pray for them.

We have a new testimony of Lynn Wilder posted on our MormonInfo.org’s “Testimonies” page. She used to teach at BYU, and is the mother of a couple of guys in Adam’s Road, ex-Mormon music band.

I also have a new blog on Bill Maher’s film “Religulous” on our Courageous Christians United web site “Blog” page. I answer basically all the objections Maher has against Christianity presented in the film.

Rob with LDS Larry, and Robert Verdin (1987)
It’s been good to get some extra help at Temple Square. Yesterday, as well as the previous week, we have had Robert Verdin help us with witnessing in front of Temple Square. I have known Robert for close to the time when I first started coming to Utah on summer mission trips—1982!

The other week we had Mark Shreves with us. Mark lives in San Diego, and was up primarily for skiing. He usually makes it to every Manti Pageant.

Rob and Mark Shreves
The other week I had the pleasure of talking to Elder Burton, who was walking into Temple Square with his wife. They were just coming from doing their temple work, so I told them they don’t need any of that stuff (secret handshakes, passwords, temple garments, etc.). All they needed was Jesus to make them righteous before God, but they needed to repent of the LDS Church before it’s too late. That certainly got Elder Burton to come over and talk with me. At the end of a long, good, and polite conversation, I calmly told him how perverted Smith was in taking other men’s wives in marriage, as well as teenagers, sisters, and a mother with her daughter. Elder Burton ended up walking away, claiming that I was making his blood boil. Sometimes that's exactly what must happen before an individual may repent. Pray that God will use this whole conversation to get a hold of Elder Burton's heart.

Rob with Elder Burton
1 Corinthians 9:14 says, “In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel.” This is why we trust that the Lord will provide for us through those of you who believe in this ministry. Please send in your investment today. The standard way is by writing a check to Courageous Christians United. But we also have secure electronic funds transfers programs available if you are interested in the simplicity of monthly withdrawals without the stamp. Finally, if you are interested in taking advantage of tax-free stock donations (e.g., an IRA rollover to CCU), we can also help you with that. This will help lessen your capital gains taxes. Please see our “Invest” page for more specific information.

Love,

Rob Sivulka
President, Courageous Christians United
P.O. Box 1374
West Jordan, UT 84084
(801) 708-4865
[email protected]
MormonInfo.org
JWInfo.org

****ADDITIONAL PRAYER REQUESTS****

1. To get another ex-Mormon Meetup started.
2. To get a Divorce Care program going at our church.
3. To get more speaking engagements.
4. To get more partners who will faithfully invest in this ministry.
5. To finish the first draft of my book.
6. To get lots of reading done.
7. To get MuslimInfo.org started.

****MAILBAG****

Thank you for the invaluable work that you are doing. I always enjoy your newsletter. We actually had your website up this weekend as my daughter and the boy she is dating were looking at the differences between Mormonism and Christianity. I also have been enjoying many of the links that you have posted on your CCU website.
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I'm sorry you have been so misinformed about mormons. I just really wish you would not publish false information about my religion on the internet. It's quite insulting to me. I wish you would try and talk to real mormons who actually believe our religion instead of relying on an "ex-mormon" and taking quotes out of context. I do not mean to be insulting myself, only that I wish people would occasionally tell the truth. How would you like people to go around saying lies about your religion--which they required from a third-party source instead of going to real scholars of that particular religion?

If you wish to know the REAL truth about Mormonism, I would suggest contacting a bishop or a real authority in our church, because it really is insulting for me to find false information about what I believe online that my friends are reading and taking for truth. Thank you, and truly, no offense meant.

[I replied:] No offense taken. Did you have something specific in mind? The home page chart at MormonInfo.org lists all the LDS sources to accurately represent your faith, and they are more authoritative than you are. Best,
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Okay, so I finally read through some of your material, read letters and watched some youtube. What you are doing is tremendously exciting to me for lots of reasons. Most importantly, I do have a burden for Mormons. Also, I have fond memories of, and deep respect for, your parents. As you know, we raised our girls in Huntington Beach Evangelical Free Church.

…When you have opportunity, I would like to know more about your book in progress. That's very exciting, too. Am passing your website information on to a friend who has established some ministry to Mormons here…

Thank you so much for your patience and persistence in continuing stay in contact. I will pass this current information to my husband... I would like him to know more about what you are doing. You will be in my prayers. Congratulations on the birth of your little one. She is precious!
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I know that you are busy so I will try not to take up too much of your time but I am looking for any sort of link or book that shows the historical evidence for Christ and also how He fufilled biblical prophecies. If you know of anything can you please let me know? Thanks.

[I replied:] Please get Josh McDowell's "The New Evidence that Demands a Verdict." This [web site] is also a good intro page[.]
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You sound very happy and content. It’s about time, right. I’m glad you finally got settled in where you are. I’m sure life is a lot calmer and easier on all of you. Hope you are still leading people to the Lord, as you have for quite a while. The world is becoming a better place to live because of people like you! Best of everything to you and yours! Love always,
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I just want to take some time to thank you for joyfully serving the Lord in the place he has called you to be. I know you’re in a place that brings lots of trials with little glamour. I’m so thankful that you’ve moved back though. Utah is a place that needs you and those people are people who desperately need the mercy and grace of a compassionate Savior. I know that my gift is small, but I hope it serves you well. I hope to eventually be able to contribute more regularly as the Lord continues to bless me. Who knows, maybe God will even grant me the privilege of serving with you again in the future. Keep living for the Lord. I pray His blessing upon you. With love in Christ,

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