Faithful, Energetic Service in the Kingdom of God, Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Lorenzo Snow

August 10, 2013 at 7:41 pm (Gospel, Salvation)
Tags: Energetic Service in the Kingdom of God, Faithful, Latter-day Saints, LDS, LDS Young Women, Mormons, Relief Society Lessons, Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Lorenzo Snow, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Reading Chapter 15 of the Relief Society Lesson brought many things to mind. I could really relate to the heading on page 191: “The work of the Lord is sometimes difficult, but it brings great joy.”

I love serving the Lord, especially through this blog; but I haven’t Posted for several months because of my health. “Energetic service” for my Lord has become difficult because energy is something that I don’t have. I have a rare disease that takes away my energy at the cell level which makes it especially hard to write a post. And yet my hearts desire is to share God’s truth with every Mormon in the world.

Many LDS members ask why I have created this blog. They often wonder why I spend so much energy fighting against “the Church” by witnessing my new-found faith to its members. The answer is love! God has placed such love in my heart for “my people.” I simply can’t stop myself from being a missionary to Mormons–I love doing so. I know what it is like to be LDS and worry whether you have gained forgiveness of your sins. Ever since I met my Savior it has been my hearts desire to share His message of free and full forgiveness with everyone.

I was born into a prominent LDS family. The first member of my family to join the church was John Patten, who baptized his brother David W. Patten (one of Joseph Smith’s original apostles). My father was Bishop, Stake President and Patriarch all his adult life. I was baptized at eight, married in the temple; and for many years never questioned that the LDS Church was the only true church.

Looking back, I realize that I was similar to the Apostle Paul—-in regards to being born of the right heritage, into a church led by leaders who taught false doctrines: “Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;” (Philippians 3:5)

Like Paul, I believed what I had been taught by my church leaders–that eternal life depended upon adding my obedience to my faith; as seen in this months Relief Society Lesson:

“As they by virtue of their commission, declared with all assurance, amidst persecution and opposition, the gospel to be the power of God unto salvation to all those who believed and obeyed, so declare we.” (p. 185)

The reason that Paul left his church was because Jesus came into His life. It was then that he met his true Savior, and the Holy Spirit opened his heart to the truth. He realized that his church leaders were teaching false doctrines and that he belonged to the wrong church.

We read many times in the New Testament that he fought fiercely against the false teachers who led this church. The reason he did is because of love! Just like me, he desired to share the truth with “his people”. In fact, he was willing to be cursed in exchange for his people to be brought to Christ:

“I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost, That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh: Who are Israelites” (Romans 9:9-14)

Do you notice how Paul overemphasizes his motive: “I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost, That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart.?” Maybe the reason he was being so adamant is because his previous church members doubted his motive for fighting “so fiercely against” “the Church”.

The truth that Paul so wanted his people to hear is the same message that I share with you. Your leaders teach false doctrines! LDS prophets proclaim a false gospel as seen by the words of Lorenzo Snow. Here is the true message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ:

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” (Romans 1:16)

Did you notice the difference in this scripture from what President Snow taught? He had to add two little words so that it would fit in with the false LDS gospel: “…the gospel to be the power of God unto salvation to all those who believed and obeyed, so declare we.”

The Lesson asks: “What does it mean to you to be an ambassador of Christ?” (p. 192)

For me, what joy it is, to know the true Gospel of Christ! This gospel grants Salvation to all who believe! The reason this can happen is because Christ took all our sins; and in exchange, gave us His righteousness. Because we are now perfect in God’s sight—we can come into God’s presence. That news, the good news of the Gospel; is why I’m an ambassador for Christ!:

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;

To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” (2 Corinthians 5:17-21)

As Christ’s Ambassador, I beseech you: “be ye reconciled to God.” Please?

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