LDS on the road
On the evening of the Fourth of July, we were on our way back home from a rodeo. Some car pulls up beside us and the passenger is a guy about 20 years of age who is holding up a copy of the Book of Mormon. Of course I couldn’t let an opportunity like that get away, so I rolled down my window and we started going back and forth with each other as we slowly drove along. My wife Tara even joined in on the fun! This must have gone on for a good mile! He had seen our JosephLied.com bumper sticker on the back of our car. He couldn’t understand how Joseph Smith could be at fault for promoting Jesus in the Book of Mormon. We tried to explain to this passenger how Smith was promoting a false Jesus who didn’t create everything, but was the spirit-brother of Lucifer. Tara also shared how she was an Ex-Mormon. I encouraged this guy to read at least the home page of my site, and I thought that was fair, since I had read all his scriptures and prayed about them. He said he’d do it, but he went one way and we went the other, and I never heard back from him.
Freezer repairman
Our garage freezer broke down, so I called a repairman over. I gave Jake a tract on how to be right with God and Jake said he’d read it. The freezer ended up needing another part that had to be ordered, so he came back several days later. I asked if he read the tract. He said he did and then he gave it to his roommate. He said that he would try to implement in his life what the tract was teaching. So I asked him what church he went to, and he said he goes to his grandmother’s LDS ward in Ogden when he visits. I began to tell him that according to the late LDS prophet Spencer W. Kimball, trying is not sufficient (cf. Miracle of Forgiveness, 164). One could keep trying and never be right with God. For Mormons, the answer is making oneself perfect. For Christians, the answer is Christ’s gift on the cross and making us born again through faith. I told Jake the story of Jesus and Nicodemus and how Jesus told Nic that he had to be born again in order to see heaven. Well, Jake had to go, but I gave him a bag of our homegrown apricots.
Stranger at our door
We also had a teenager named Jeremiah show up one day and asked if he could pick some of our apricots. I gave him a bucket and a tract and told him it was about being right with God. I asked Jeremiah if he goes to church, and he said not really, so I invited him to ours. He said he does go with his grandparents when he visits them in California, but he wasn’t specific about what church it was.
 Mission team
We also had a mission team over for Pioneer Day–July 24th. This is a state holiday to celebrate the Pioneers who came across the plains to establish Utah. The “Gentiles” here mockingly call it “Pie ‘n Beer” Day. So in addition to dinner, we got a couple pies and root beer for this team of 25 from Burleson, TX. Tara shared her testimony with them. My folks came over and my dad shared how he likes to evangelize LDS. Then I shared about ministry to LDS, a couple things Joseph clearly lied about, and ended with some things to keep in mind with Mormon epistemology. It was quite a fun evening.
We Need Your Partnership
If you’re looking for ways to store up for yourself treasures in heaven (Matt. 6:19-20), may I suggest investing in our ministry? We not only need your prayers, but we need your financial partnership as well. Keep in mind that your investment is not simply for us, but for the lives of others we reach with the gospel. The standard way to financially invest is by writing a tax-deductible check to Courageous Christians United (CCU). For more information on various ways to invest in this ministry, including online giving, please see our “Invest” page on our sites. If you’re not a partner and are blessed by these monthly updates, please join our team and let us know soon. We’d love to be your missionaries here in Utah. Many thanks to those of you who hold us up in prayer and/or in your financial giving!
Be strong and courageous (Joshua 1:6)!
Rob Sivulka
President, Courageous Christians United
P.O. Box 1374
West Jordan, UT 84088
(801) 792-6373
MormonInfo.org
MeetTheExMormons.org
JWinfo.org
MuhammadLied.Info
AbortionIsMurder.Info
Mailbag
Thank God for you. I pray God encourages you. I love reading your newsletters. I'm retired so can't really help financially as I give to my church and missions.Keep it up Rob.
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[I posted a recent article about Elder Holland claiming he can't imagine heaven without his wife, and then I said:] [In Mormonism,] Jesus isn't the end. He's a means in Mormonism, and that's precisely why it's idolatrous.
[LDS replied:] isn’t Jesus the “means” to our salvation?
[I replied:] Jesus is our the Lord, our salvation and righteousness (Jer. 23:6 and 33:14-18). of course He's a means to all sorts of things, but that can only be due to the fact that He is the End.
[He replied:] 6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
[I replied:] of course, but to claim what Holland did is still idolatrous and the Father and Son are the same God, though distinct and inseparable persons. For Christians, the Truine God is the end. Knowing Him is eternal life (Jn. 17:3). Even if we get nothing else from Him, including our spouse in heaven with us, He alone is what it's all about. He's God, not eternal marriage.
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