Sunday, October 8, 2017

A Letter to my Friends and Neighbors

October 8, 2017

Dear Friends,

We’ve been friends and neighbors for 17 years. While Doris and I are private people, it matters greatly to us that you know why we haven't been at church for quite awhile.

You may or may not know that I wasn’t raised active in the LDS church and Doris joined in her mid-teens. My Dad’s side of the family aren’t LDS, nor is Doris’ entire family (save her inactive twin sister, Betty). We met while we both served missions in Japan, which is her cultural heritage. With so many of our loved ones not being LDS, we’ve studied the gospel and questioned the Lord passionately to know how ALL of His children are given a fair opportunity at salvation, eternal life, and exaltation.
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For 30 years I believed it required people join the LDS church, if not in this life, then in the spirit realm (proxy temple work). The scriptures, however, don’t support that teaching, especially when we understand how the Lord defines “[His] church”. For example: in D&C 10: 67-68 the Lord said: “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.” Another scripture explains that ALL persons qualify as members of the Lord’s church: 2nd Nephi 26: 33 “For none of these iniquities come of the Lord; for he doeth that which is good among the children of men; and he doeth nothing save it be plain unto the children of men; and he inviteth them ALL to come unto him and partake of his goodness; and he denieth none that come unto him, black and white, bond and free, male and female; and he remembereth the heathen; and ALL are alike unto God, both Jew and Gentile.” (emphasis mine)

I’ve concluded the correct definition of “church” is an assembly of believers, not an institution focused on correlated teachings and worship, callings (church jobs) and meetings, a lot of performance measuring programs, and layers of leadership. The scriptures indicate that WE are the church. It doesn’t matter if WE are heathens or persons raised with passionate religious beliefs and activity. If you've attended an LDS worship service in a small branch in in foreign country, you might agree that it doesn’t really matter how WE worship, just that WE repent and come unto the Lord. I have faith the Lord is providing a way for ALL his children to find Him in this life, especially when an individual recognizes the need to change their behavior (repent) and seek after the giver of truth (the Lord), then follow His example (baptism - ref. 2 Nephi 31: 13-21). Consider watching this video of our Chinese brothers and sisters (who comprise 1/5th of the worlds population) learning their religions (Taoism, Confucianism, Buddhism) originate from the same God as the Hebrews. 

Again, since God is no respector of persons, and since we LDS believe the following: (ref. D&C 130: 20-21 "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.";  it should come as no surprise that people living good principles of Confucius, Buddha, or Muhammad are obeying many of Gods laws and will be blessed for doing so. (emphasis mine)

Here's how Joseph Smith explained it:

“But while one portion of the human race is judging and condemning the other without mercy, the Great Parent of the universe looks upon the whole of the human family with a fatherly care and paternal regard; He views them as His offspring, and without any of those contracted feelings that influence the children of men, causes “His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.” He holds the reins of judgment in His hands; He is a wise Lawgiver, and will judge all men, not according to the narrow, contracted notions of men, but, “according to the deeds done in the body whether they be good or evil,” or whether these deeds were done in England, America, Spain, Turkey, or India. He will judge them, “not according to what they have not, but according to what they have,” those who have lived without law, will be judged without law, and those who have a law, will be judged by that law. We need not doubt the wisdom and intelligence of the Great Jehovah; He will award judgment or mercy to all nations according to their several deserts, their means of obtaining intelligence, the laws by which they are governed, the facilities afforded them of obtaining correct information, and His inscrutable designs in relation to the human family; and when the designs of God shall be made manifest, and the curtain of futurity be withdrawn, we shall all of us eventually have to confess that the Judge of all the earth has done right.” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 218)

The Book of Mormon's primary purpose is to teach the Doctrine of Christ, which is so simple a child can understand it (ref. 3 Nephi 11: 31-41)
31 Behold, verily, verily, I say unto you, I will declare unto you my doctrine.
32 And this is my doctrine, and it is the doctrine which the Father hath given unto me; and I bear record of the Father, and the Father beareth record of me, and the Holy Ghost beareth record of the Father and me; and I bear record that the Father commandeth all men, everywhere, to repent and believe in me.
33 And whoso believeth in me, and is baptized, the same shall be saved; and they are they who shall inherit the kingdom of God.
34 And whoso believeth not in me, and is not baptized, shall be damned.
35 Verily, verily, I say unto you, that this is my doctrine, and I bear record of it from the Father; and whoso believeth in me believeth in the Father also; and unto him will the Father bear record of me, for he will visit him with fire and with the Holy Ghost.
36 And thus will the Father bear record of me, and the Holy Ghost will bear record unto him of the Father and me; for the Father, and I, and the Holy Ghost are one.
37 And again I say unto you, ye must repent, and become as a little child, and be baptized in my name, or ye can in nowise receive these things.
38 And again I say unto you, ye must repent, and be baptized in my name, and become as a little child, or ye can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God.
39 Verily, verily, I say unto you, that this is my doctrine, and whoso buildeth upon this buildeth upon my rock, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against them.
40 And whoso shall declare more or less than this, and establish it for my doctrine, the same cometh of evil, and is not built upon my rock; but he buildeth upon a sandy foundation, and the gates of hell stand open to receive such when the floods come and the winds beat upon them.
41 Therefore, go forth unto this people, and declare the words which I have spoken, unto the ends of the earth. (Also read all of 2 Nephi chapter 31). 

So, am I saying it doesn’t matter whether or not a person regularly attends a church? I say if a “church" is comprised of WE, then people should gather together to share their thoughts and impressions, teach from the scriptures, care for each other and bear one another’s burdens. Isn't that why Alma organized 7 churches in Zarahemla? The Sermon on the Mount, King Benjamin’s Sermon in the first six chapters of the Book of Mosiah, and the Sermon at Bountiful are the best examples I can think of to guide any "church" (a/k/a group of believers). How blessed this world will be if the pure in heart discover and live the teachings given by the Lord in the Bible and Book of Mormon.

So, if I believe in the message of the Book of Mormon, why am I not attending the church that owns the copyright? Because I am mourning that the message of the Book of Mormon is not understood or is taken lightly by we “Mormons”. When we don't understand its message, the adversary can easily deceive us into believing our wealth and prosperity corresponds with the Lord’s expression of favor for us, and so we believe all is well in Zion. (ref. 2nd Nephi 28: 21 “And others will he pacify and lull them into carnal security, that they will say: All is well in Zion; yea, Zion prospereth, all is well – and thus the devil cheateth their souls, and leadeth them away carefully down to hell.”). What a timeless ruse used so effectively to deceive "even the elect" people of God.

In Mormon 8: 35-41, the Lord showed Moroni that the latter-day people in possession of the Book of Mormon teachings would also be in a state of pride and wickedness. (ref. Mormon 8: 36 “… and your churches, yea even every one, have become polluted because of the pride of your hearts.”).

Does the teaching “Follow the Prophet and you won’t be lead astray” exist in the standard works? Sure they say … in Official Declaration One! Well, I cannot find that teaching in the standard works (in fact, I find the opposite warning in 2nd Nephi 4: 34 "Oh Lord, I have trusted in Thee and I will trust in Thee forever. I will not put my trust in the arm of flesh, for I know that cursed is he that putteth his trust in flesh, yea cursed is he that putteth his trust in man or maketh flesh his arm. And also in 2nd Nephi 28: 31 "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.")
It appears to me we are to check everything said over the pulpit by witness of the Holy Ghost (ie. prayer) - not blindly follow a man though his title is Prophet, Seer, and Revelator. Also, in 1 Kings 13 , the Lord tested one Prophet by sending another Prophet to lead the first one astray (sad ending). 

 I’ve decided I’m not going to pin my salvation on Official Declaration One, instead, I've accepted the Lord’s personal invitation to trust and follow Him. (ref. D&C 93: 1 "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."). I sustain "the Brethren" with my prayers and confidence; but the Lord, after all, bought and paid for each of us sinners in Gethsemane and Calvary. (ref. 2nd Nephi 9: 41 “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.”). (emphasis mine)

When the Book of Mormon was compiled for publication, Joseph Smith had said it "was the most correct of any book on earth". He placed in its Title Page the statement that it “… comes forth in due time by way of the Gentiles”. Somewhere along the way, we Mormons no longer identify ourselves as “Gentiles”, making it easy to miss the Lords clear warning to THE ONLY LATTER-DAY CHURCH IN POSSESSION OF "THE FULLNESS". (ref. 3rd Nephi 16: 10-11 “And thus commandeth the Father that I should say unto you: At that day when the Gentiles shall sin against my gospel, and shall reject the fullness of my gospel, and shall be lifted up in the pride of their hearts above all nations, and above all the people of the whole earth, and shall be filled with all manner of lyings, and of deceits, and of mischiefs, and all manner of hypocrisy, and murders, and priescrafts, and whoredoms, and of secret abominations, and if they shall do all those things, and shall reject the fullness of my gospel, behold, saith the Father, I will bring the fullness of my gospel from among them. And then will I remember my covenant which I have made unto my people, O house of Israel, and I will bring my gospel unto them.”) (emphasis mine)
If you disagree with my interpretation of this scripture, I would be happy to discuss it further.

I hope I don’t sound bitter, no one has offended me, I despise no one, in fact, I miss interacting with you and others weekly and receiving a warm greeting from you in our comings and goings in daily life. I simply can’t hide my grief and mourning anymore behind a cheerful smile and glad handshake. In my own way, I’ve left the 99 and gone after the 1. Outside of my immediate family, I socialize with two families in our neighborhood who are labeled “inactive members”. They are very spiritual and humble people and it is my privilege to keep company with them. I suppose “inactive member” is an accurate label for me now. The label, however, has not impaired my status with the Lord. I know Him better than I ever have; He walks with me daily and helps keep my path straight. There is no substitute for a personal relationship with Him. I owe much of my improved relationship with my Lord to studying and applying the Lectures On Faith, which were the "Doctrine" part of the Doctrine and Covenants from 1835 until 1921, and quoted frequently in Bruce R. McConkie's "Mormon Doctrine".

If it matters to you to talk further, come on over. Either way, I pray God’s blessings upon you and yours and am happy to serve you if you give me the opportunity.

Most sincerely,

Roy Moore
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