Uchtdorf with Rob SivulkaConfronting LDS Apostle Uchtdorf
We went to a Christmas outdoor market at This is the Place Heritage Park early last month. The crowds were huge! I just happened to run into LDS Apostle Dieter Uchtdorf. People kept stopping him to get their picture with him, so I patiently waited for my turn. After I got my picture, I told him that Joseph Smith was proven to be a false prophet by failing every biblical test for a prophet of God. Uchtdorf told me he was a wonderful man. I put my hand on Uchtdorf’s left arm and told him that Smith is in hell and I loved Utchtdorf enough to tell him the truth. I also told him that he should read my Josephlied.com. I finally got to tell him I wanted him to know the real God. Uchtdorf got his entourage to walk me away. One guy told me that this isn't the place, but I immediately told him, "What do you mean? This Is the Place!" He laughed. I had to go find Tara and the kids in the crowd.
Though not exact, it reminds me of what the professional boxer, Rocky Marciano, told Walter Martin about getting close enough to get that one good punch in despite what it takes. Martin said, "You and I have to accept the occupational difficulty and all of the occupational problems that come with the Christian witness. Get in close with the Word of God, whatever it takes. No matter how much punishment you have to endure or whatever they may say about you, get in close until you get the one clean shot that will take anybody out. It's God's shot and God's gospel" (Through the Windows of Heaven, 2).
I was also reminded of what James 3:17 says concerning the wisdom from above being “open to reason.” Obviously this apostle doesn’t have that. He was dismissive. The fruit exhibited here was bad fruit, and it is what our Lord said we were to use to test the prophets in determining which were from God and which ones were not (Mat. 7:15-20). Uchtdorf is among those that 2 Corinthians 11:13 calls “false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.”
Please pray that God will use something I said to convict Uchtdorf and bring him to Himself! Nothing is impossible with God (cf. Mat. 19:26).
Temple Square
Continuing from November, I was able to advertise my lighted JosephLied.com sign outside Temple Square a handful more times for their annual Christmas lights, and yes, the visits to the site spiked each time--well into the 200 range! I had many good conversations, got out a number of Jesus Christ/Joseph Smith DVDs, and had many pictures taken of me with my sign. Here's a quick video to give you a better idea of what went on.
MeetTheExMormons.org
My friend Mike Stevens came to share with our monthly fellowship. His story includes not just coming out of Mormonism, but atheism. Please click on the link above to watch his interesting story and see the pictures.
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Be strong and courageous (Joshua 1:6)!
Rob Sivulka
President, Courageous Christians United
P.O. Box 1374
West Jordan, UT 84084
(801) 792-6373 (leave message)
MormonInfo.org
MeetTheExMormons.org
JWinfo.org
MuhammadLied.Info
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I spoke to the Mormon missionaries earlier on ...After showing them major contradictions in their teachings and history, how it does not line up with biblical Christianity and common sense, they basically wanted ignored everything
Thanks for inspiring me to reach out them because in Jesus you are very courageous in what you do
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it took a lot of biblical courage to confront him like that and I commend you for it. I believe it was a modern day example of Jesus confronting the Pharisees.
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I commend you, Rob. That WAS the place & if the Holy Spirit is leading you to speak to him there......
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You are an example to us all.
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Love your courage! This is amazing. I pray he will feel a conviction so strong and will visit your site someday.
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That is so awesome!! Praise God.. May God bless you and your family for proclaiming the truth and earnestly contending for the faith!!
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Good Job Rob Sivulka! Way to be bold by sharing the Truth in Love!
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WOW!! "He got his entourage to walk me away." The apostles of Jesus and Jesus himself did not have an entourage to walk them away! One of the apostles, I think it was Paul, said that we should always stand ready to give reason for the hope we have. Rob you always stand ready to answer the hope you have but it seems that Uchtdorft did not answer for the hope he had in the god of mormonism but took off by getting his entourage to walk him away.
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You planted a seed
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Keep on preaching the truth!
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I enjoy listening to Dallyn Bayles singing ‘Saviour redeemer of my Soul’ and ‘My kindness shall not depart from thee’. I listen to these and other Mormon devotional songs before going to my own church. They fill me with peace and love and enable me to pray more devotionally. I am sorry that Mormons have the weird beliefs you describe in your animation of the 2 Mormon Missionaries.
Andy Poland's video was interesting but he has since committed suicide. Why do you use the School of Life's video, when it is not even Christian? I prefer Mormon videos to that video.
I like the Mormon focus on Purity. My biggest problem with it is the racism in the Book of Mormon. A big disappointment for me. The huge white statue of Jesus looks like idolatry. Also the ‘mother in heaven’ is too much like Catholicism for me. Mormonism has good things, like an emphasis on holiness. My problem with the evangelical churches was immorality, the Pastor having an affair with a woman in the congregation. I now attend the Plymouth Brethren which is quite fringe and has zero tolerance for any kind of sexual immorality, like the Mormons have, as we see in Andy Poland’s video.
I look forward to the rest of the questions being tackled.
[I replied:] Good to hear from you and thanks for the questions. My grandparents who were Baptists used to love listening to the Mormon tabernacle choir, and I also like listening to them on occasion. They are first rate.
Yes, it's unfortunate that Andy committed suicide. He was a friend of mine who had a life-long struggle with depression. His video is still instructive on how deceptive feelings can be. And that's why I used the School of Life video. Truth is still truth no matter where it comes from since all truth is God's truth.
One of my professors at Biola when I was doing a biblical studies major was Plymouth Brethren. They are good people there.
If I could add a word of caution... please be careful not to focus on church people, since they are people, and we all are imperfect and need God's grace and transformation.
Thankful for the work the Lord has done and is continuing to do in your life!
God bless!
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