I have been a Christian since I was seven. I have studied theology and doctrine for many years and have been a worship pastor in my local church. When I was in college, I studied the Mormon cult strictly from an apologetic standpoint. I just read your testimony and I could never express in words how much joy it brought to my inmost being. I wept when I read of those in your family coming to know Jesus. Bless the Lord! He is ever faithful and He is MIGHTY TO SAVE!

Today I was working from home when I was visited by two young women "missionaries" from the LDS church up the street. I informed them that I was a pastor and that I was in love with Jesus. I also told them that I had studied the Mormon religion in depth when I was in college. Since I was really busy with work, I invited them back to my house next week to discuss what I had studied back then. They agreed and are scheduled to come to my home next week.

So I have one week. One week to fast pray and prepare for their arrival. My heart is so burdened for their souls. I hate the enemy [Satan] even more for his deception over them. My question to you is twofold: 1) Will you pray for them with me this week that the scales would fall from their eyes as they did yours, and 2) In my limited time to prepare, what would you suggest that I read, study and expose myself to in order to properly communicate truth and love?

I know that they are going to come with the purpose of "illuminating" my eyes to the deceptions of Christianity, specifically targeting scriptural "inaccuracies." So I know that using God's word to point out inaccuracies in the Mormon faith would be futile. I want to shake their faith like yours was shaken. However, I do not have access to the same documents that you had to open your eyes to the deception. So I desperately need your council.

I anxiously await your response! I bless the Lord for you and how he carefully and miraculously wove together the fabric of your life for His name's sake and for His eternal renown. He is so good!

Dear C___,

Here are some things you should know in order to prepare for your meeting with the LDS missionaries. You will probably have only one shot at this with them; if you’re lucky, maybe two meetings. Missionaries are instructed in the MTC (Missionary Training Center in Provo, UT) to avoid what Mormons call, “Bible Bashing.” This does not mean they are to avoid bashing (putting down) the Bible, as Christains might suppose. Instead. it means they are not to get into scriptural arguments over doctrine. Therefore, I would not spend too much time trying to show them biblically why they are wrong. Certainly, you do want to use God’s word because there is power in His word, but don’t show them all the reasons from the Bible why Mormonism is unscriptural. They are coming from the belief that many doctrines have been removed from the Bible, so anything you show tem they would largely dismiss as a mistranslation.

They will most likely ask if they could begin with prayer. It is very important you do not let them say the prayer. Remember, they are praying to a false god and there is a demonic stronghold that keeps them from seeing and hearing the truth. You can say something like this, “Of course. I would be honored to say the prayer,” and then just jump right in with “Dear Father in heaven” (or however you normally address God). Pray that truth will prevail and that all hearts will be receptive to the Holy Spirit, etc. Don’t give them the opportunity to pray.

I would use the Bible primarily for two things if you get the chance. 1) Show them the following verses in Isaiah:

            Isaiah 44:8 Is there any God besides me? No, there is no other Rock; I know not one.

            Isaiah 43:10 Before me there was no god formed, nor will there be one after me.

The significance about the two Isaiah verses is not just that they say "I am God there is no other," because Mormons interpret that to mean there is only one God for THIS world; only one God that WE worship. The importance of these verses is that God says, "I KNOW OF NO OTHER God." If there were really gods for other universes, He could have easily said "Look, I'm the only God for you guys. Don't worry about the other gods." And the verse that says "No god was formed before me and none will be formed after me" clearly shows that God did not have a father who had a father who had a father, ad infinitum, and that we will progress (be formed) into gods at some future point.

2) Lead them down the Roman Road. Not that they will get saved on the spot, but you must show them Biblical salvation, explaining how we are saved by grace, not by works, so that no one may boast (Eph. 2:9). If you are familiar with Ray Comfort and Kirk Cameron’s ministry, “The Way of the Master,” you will understand the importance of getting to the conscience by using the Law. ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). If someone has ever lied, they are a liar. How many lies does it take to be a liar? Just one. If they have ever taken ANYTHING that did not belong to them, they are thieves, even if it was the candy bar off a sibling's dresser. If they have not always honored God they have broken the first commandment. If they have ever been angry with a brother they are murderers according to the Bible. If they have ever looked at anyone with lust, they have committed adultery in their hearts.

The reason this is especially significant to Mormons is because they have been taught all their lives that we are born with a divine nature, rather than a sin nature. If these ladies are honest, they would have to admit (at least to themselves; I doubt they would say it to you) that they have many times felt unworthy or perhaps that something was wrong with them because they sometimes feel they could never measure up. Of course, you and I know this is because they CAN’T measure up! None of us can because of our SIN nature. So I would point out how the biblical gospel differs from the LDS gospel in that it reveals God as perfectly holy and men as abject sinners. This is why we need a Savior, because the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). Don’t sound like you are attacking, but just comparing;

“May I share with you what I believe from the Bible?” Give the gospel message. Have THEM read the scripture because faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Another thing they have been taught at the MTC is that all conversational paths should lead to "the Sacred Grove” (the place in New York where Joseph Smith allegedly had the First Vision). The missionaries will have two tendencies; one will be to keep bearing their testimony of the “truthfulness” of the (Mormon) gospel or they will try to take you down rabbit trails about the Trinity or the Bible not translated correctly or who knows what else. The fact is, it doesn’t matter what all these side issues are or what problems (real or imagined) Christianity has (denominations, etc) because it all boils down to whether or not Smith was a true prophet of God or not. If not, then Mormonism falls apart. Therefore, employ the same tactic they use, which is to lead everything back to Joseph Smith.

You can say something like this; “I understand that while you’re on your mission you’re not allowed to read anything that is not pro-Mormon, so I’m not asking you to do that. But I am encouraging you strongly that when you get off your mission you seriously look into the history of your church to see if what I tell you is true. Namely,

1)     Joseph Smith did not use the Urim and Thummim to translate the plates. He used a stone he found while digging a well for his neighbor. This is in his wife Emma’s and mother Lucy Mack Smith’s diaries. It is also in the Documented History of the Church.

2)     Eleven of Smith’s wives were already married to living men when he took them as his own wives.

3)     Up until 1878 it was taught that Nephi (pronounced Nee’ Fi) delivered the golden plates to Joseph. The angel’s name was later changed to Moroni (Mor OH Ni).

4)     The Fifth Lecture on Faith written by Joseph Smith says that there are only two people in the Godhead; God the Father and Jesus Christ. He wrote that God the Father is Spirit and only the Son has a body of flesh and bone. This was included in the Doctrine & Covenants until 1921, and then it was removed by church leaders because it contradicted later teachings.

5)     The three witnesses later admitted that they did NOT actually see the gold plates with their physical eyes, but only saw them with their “spiritual eyes,“ in other words, they saw them in their minds, their imaginations.

“Now these are all things you can look up for yourselves in the writings of your own church. I am pleading with you to look into this for yourself ad not take anyone’s word for it. Don’t just take my word for it. Don’t just ask someone from church and take their word either. Look it up for yourselves!”

There is one other thing I would stress. Acknowledge that you can appreciate they have had real experiences and that you don’t doubt they have experienced a supernatural feeling or confirmation that Mormonism is true. But then point out that so have people of other religions. The people of the reorganized LDS Church, the Temple Lot Mormons, the polygamous groups that have their own prophets, Muslims, Hindus, Wiccans---they all have had supernatural experiences that have led them to the conclusion that their religions are true. Mormons are not the ones having very real and very convincing experiences. This why John says in 1 John 4:1, “Beloved, test the spirits, for many false spirits have gone out into the world.”

When they start to feel uncomfortable (and believe me, they will) they will look at their watches and say, “Well Mr. C__, we have another appointment we have to get to. It was very nice meeting with you. We’d like to leave you with a Book of Mormon and ask you to pray about it and see if it is true…” or something like that. They will be sure to bear their testimony again before they leave. Thank them for sharing their testimonies, saying you know they are very sincere in what they believe, and then share a brief testimony of your own, telling them that by the power of the Holy Spirit you know that the biblical gospel is true and that Mormonism is another gospel with another Jesus that Paul warns about. That puts the Mormon into a quandary; how can the Holy Ghost be telling a someone Mormonism is true, while at the same time telling someone else that biblical Christianity is true, when the two gospels contradict each other! That is where evidence comes into play. Someone is being deceived and the evidence supports the Christian message and the Bible rather than the Mormon message and the Book of Mormon.

Leave them with this thought, “If Mormonism is true, then people who reject it will still get a kingdom of glory after they die. But if Mormonism is false, then those who reject the biblical gospel spend eternity in what Jesus called everlasting torment. This is why it is life and death to investigate your religion; it is imperative that you know which gospel is true and it needs to be based on more than subjective feelings or experiences”

It is highly unlikely that they will leave your house renouncing Mormonism (although with God all things are possible), but you will have sewn seeds that God will water as time goes by.

     Please feel free to email me and ask any other questions you like. Please keep me informed of how it all goes!

Tracy