Mormons
What's in the book?
https://youtu.be/beGIl8rDmQA
Exodus to the Americas - 600 BC
https://youtu.be/WjoFhdixh1I
"I am Ne-phi. An israelite from Jerusalem during the reign of King Zedekiah of Judah. I make this record in the language of the Egyptians. And I know that the record which I make is true and I make it with my own hand."
My father Lehi, was praying for God to protect Jerusalem from destruction when a pillar of fire came out of a great rock. He was very afraid and went home. Once he fell asleep, he had a vision of heaven. He saw God and countless angels singing. Twelve angels brighter than the stars came to him and gave him a book and told him to read it. He read about the coming destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians and the coming messiah.
When my father awoke he warned everyone that the messiah was coming but nobody would listen. They were so angry they wanted to kill him."
"Then one night, God came to my father in his dreams and told him to leave Jerusalem because people sought to kill him. He left all his possessions and escaped to the wilderness with his family. His wife, Sariah and his four sons including myself."
"After three days of walking, my brothers began complaining about our father. They didn't believe the dreams that he had seen and wanted to go back."
"Then, I prayed too and God visited me. He told me he'd lead us to a new land that was better than all other lands. But I shall curse your non-believing brothers and their descendants."
"My brothers Laman and Lemuel got tried and wanted our fathers possessions that we had left behind. So they tried to kill me and my brother, Sam. They were hitting us with a stick, when an angel appeared and scared them off."
"My brothers went back to Jerusalem. The Holy Spirit told me to follow them and when I found my brother, he was sleeping with a very nice sword. The Holy Spirit wanted me to kill him but I didn't want to. The Holy Spirit said God had given him into my hands. The holy spirit said, "Slay him! For it's better for one man to die than a whole nation disbelieve." So I knew I had to do it. So I grabbed my brother, Laman by the hair and cut off his head."
"My father prophesied of the coming of a messiah in 600 years. He'll redeem the sins of the world and be killed."
"An Angel sees the future and tells Nephi about it. He warns Nephi of the Catholic church and the devil who founded it. He also sees Columbus discovering America. With the wrath of God they defeated the native Americans. Then he saw the American Revolution. He also saw them carry the bible with them throughout the future. The angel says that God will replace the corrupted catholic bible with one in the new world which will restore the truth."
"The Angel told Nephi of the coming new testament and The Book of Mormon. People must believe the book of mormon to be saved. This is because the OT and NT will become altered and corrupted by the catholic church. The book of mormon will preserve God's original message. Everyone has a choice to believe or be damned to hell. Woe to those who harden their hearts against the book of mormon."
The next morning, Lehi found a round brass ball of curious workmanship. There were two spindles inside the ball that pointed the way we should go in the wilderness."
"We traveled for many days, using our bows and arrows to kill food for our families, following the direction of the ball, which led us to the more fertile parts of the wilderness. Eventually my bow broke from overuse and my family began to murmur against god. I made a new bow from wood and asked God where to hunt. He replied, "read the ball". I looked at the ball, which worked according to the faith of the looker. The writing on it changed from time to time, according to the faith that was given to it. It always led us to the best hunting grounds.
"And we came to a sea which we called Irreantum (which being interpreted means "many waters") One day, the voice of the Lord came to me and said, Climb the mountain. So I climbed the mountain. When I got to the top of the mountain, the Lord said to me,
Build a boat to take you across these waters."
"My brothers refused to build the boat. They rebelled against God's will. So God told me to reach out my arm and shock them to show that God was with me. So I did and my brothers agreed to build the boat."
"When the ship was completed, they all climbed aboard and sailed to the promised land. Tempers ran high on the ship and my brothers refused to take orders from me. They tied me up and the compass stopped working. A storm rolled in and my brothers couldn't steer the ship. They untied me and I took control of the ship. Once they untied me, the compass began to work and the storm went away."
"Once we got to the promised land, we planned seeds and found horses and cows. God asked me to record the story of our journey on silver plates. My father prophesied that a decent of ours named Joseph would find the tablets, translate them and spread them around the world."
"We built a temple like that of Solomon. My brothers sought to kill me. God was angry with them and cursed them with black skin. They became idle and full of mischief. God made them loathsome to my people."
"God told me that the Israelites back home had been conquered by the babylonians but one day The Holy One will be crucified. There will be many false churches. They will teach vain and foolish doctrines. They shall all be cast down to hell."
"God told me he'd give my descendants the last word to his people but many will refuse to believe. They'll say they don't need another bible! What fools! No one will be angry with my words except those who have the spirit of the devil. If you believe in Jesus, you'll believe my words."
"My descendants farmed, grew fruit and raised animals. My brother's descendants were evil, wild, ferocious, filthy, violent and bloodthirsty. Other peoples lived there, they had settled there after God confused their languages at the tower of babel."
"Mormon took up control of the record keeping. They continued to write it in Egyptian so they could understand it. These sayings are true."
Jesus Appears in the Americas
https://youtu.be/SqL-gIJWaO0
11:20-17:00
Joseph Smith
Joseph Smith was born in Vermont in 1805. He grew up in Western New York during a time of great religious excitement. It was a time known as the Second Great Awakening. It was during this time that the Jehovah’s Witnesses were established also.
https://youtu.be/B1iuaMYgz9U -
When Joseph Smith was 14 years old, he felt conflicted and confused. His family members had different beliefs and went to different churches. Joseph Smith was unsure which one he should join. He was inspired by James 1:15, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God… and it shall be given.” Joseph Smith testifies that at just 15, he was praying under some trees when he was given a vison.
First Vision
“I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me.
“… When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spoke unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!”
Joseph Smith spoke to them and asked the question burning in his heart, “Which earthly church is correct? Which one should I follow?” and Jesus answered, “Do not join any of them!” Joseph Smith was dumbfounded. God then spoke, “You shall be my prophet in the latter days. Through you, I shall give my true doctrine and reestablish the real church on earth.”
The Visit of the Angel Moroni
Joseph Smith didn’t immediately tell anyone. He was afraid he wouldn’t be believed. However, 3 years later, when Joseph Smith was 18 years old, he was laid in bed and praying.
“While I was thus in the act of calling upon God, I discovered a light appearing in my room, which continued to increase until the room was lighter than at noon, when immediately a person appeared at my bedside, standing in the air, for his feet did not touch the floor. When I first looked upon him, I was afraid; but the fear soon left me. He called me by name, and said unto me that he was a messenger sent from the presence of God to me, and that his name was Moroni; that God had a work for me to do. He said there was a book deposited, written upon gold plates, giving an account of the former inhabitants of this continent. He also said that the fulness of the everlasting Gospel was contained in it, as delivered by the Savior to the ancient inhabitants. He told me, that when I got those plates of which he had spoken—I should not show them to any person; if I did I should be destroyed. While he was conversing with me about the plates, the vision was opened to my mind that I could see the place where the plates were deposited, and that so clearly and distinctly that I knew the place again when I visited it. The Angel Moroni informed me of great judgments which were coming upon the earth, with great desolations by famine, sword, and pestilence; and that these grievous judgments would come on the earth in this generation. (The US Civil War would kick off 38 years later causing all three.) Then, all of a sudden, the Angel Moroni ascended to heaven before my very eyes. By this time, so deep were the impressions made on my mind, that sleep had fled from my eyes, and I lay overwhelmed in astonishment at what I had both seen and heard.”
The next day, Joseph Smith dug the golden plates out of a hill behind his home. He followed the Angel’s instructions and didn’t let anyone else see them, for fear that he might be destroyed. The plates were written in reformed Egyptian and he had to use seer stones and a hat to translate them. Smith read the golden plates out and his wife wrote it down. Together they uncovered the story of how the Israelites had travelled to America with God’s help and how Jesus had descended upon the Americas shortly after his resurrection.
Witnesses’
His family struggled to believe Joseph Smith. However, when the Angel Moroni again appeared to Smith, he pleaded that he might be able to show people the golden plates. Moroni agreed but he could only show those who were close and that he trusted. So Joseph Smith showed the golden plates to three friends of his. After he showed the golden plates to a group of 8, including his father and his two brothers. Together they signed sworn statements and joined Joseph’s new Christianity.
Read Attestation
Latter Day Saints Website has this to say:
“Despite eventual differences with Joseph Smith and the original three witnesses’ continued to affirm their testimony as witnesses throughout their lives. Each of the Eight Witnesses likewise reaffirmed his testimony of examining the plates, though some eventually became estranged from the Church. The combined weight of their numerous statements, given over many years and despite their changing attitudes toward Joseph Smith and the Church, is a powerful witness of the reliability of the statements they published in the Book of Mormon.”
The Church Begins
Joseph Smith now had followers. The witnesses’ affirmed what Smith was telling people. Many people found joy in believing that Jesus had been to America. They also found joy in uncovering new exciting truths about Christianity. Despite the appeal to many, many more were outraged. Catholics and Protestants were offended. They were angry and accused Joseph Smith of being Satan, deceiving people. Some people asked to see the golden plates themselves, however, when Joseph Smith had finished translating them, the Angel Moroni had taken the golden plates away and taken them up to heaven.
Once “The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ” was published. Smith’s followers grew in size. They founded what they believed was God’s true teachings on earth. They inspired many people in New York and Pennsylvania whom they baptized. Many Christians threatened mob violence against members of the church. Joseph Smith taught that Jesus and God are separate beings and that God has a physical body. (The bible talks about the face of God, the finger of God, his back, his mouth, and his feet.) These ideas infuriated locals who believed more traditional teachings.
Joseph Smith saw this persecution as confirmation that they were the righteous and all other denominations were false religions. Joseph Smith was arrested and charged for being a “disorderly person” who was stirring up societal friction. Joseph Smith and his followers fled to Missouri & Ohio with about 2,000 followers to avoid his arrest.
Life In Missouri
Once in Missouri, one night, Joseph Smith was alone with his friend Oliver Cowdery, when they were visited by the spirit of John the Baptist, the Apostle Peter, and James the brother of Jesus. The three spirits ordained Joseph Smith and Oliver as earthly representatives of a “higher priesthood.” They also identified a place in Missouri which was the original place Adam & Eve had lived when they first left Eden. Despite growing in numbers, yet again, the Mormons faced persecution for what they believed. Joseph Smith and one of his friends were attacked by a mob and both knocked unconscious and left for dead.
Mormon War of 1838
When the Election of 1838 came around, Anti-Mormon feels were strong. Many Americas resented the fact that Mormons could vote and in one city. Some non-Mormons tried to stop a group of Mormon men from voting and a brawl broke out. This brawl was interpreted as aggression by both sides, some rushed home to grab their guns. The Mormons were outnumbered. Mormons were forcibly evicted from their homes and had their property destroyed. 22 people died in the chaos.
The Mormon’s received no protection from the state or federal government. Instead, Governor, Lilburn Boggs ordered that Mormons must be “exterminated or driven from the state.” The Mormons surrendered their property and agreed to leave the state. Joseph Smith was accused of treason and sentenced to be executed the next day. They escaped custody that night. It’s believed that the sheriff and guards helped them to escape.
Life in Illinois
Mormons migrated out of the hostile Missouri and into the friendlier Illinois. They gained much support. However, at some point an unknown Mormon attempted to assassinate the Governor of Missouri, which turned public opinion against all Mormons. January 1844, Joseph Smith was the most optimistic yet. He announced that he would be running for President in the coming election. His top aide Brigham Young campaigned for Smith saying, "He it is that God of Heaven designs to save this nation from destruction and preserve the Constitution."
Meanwhile, the Missouri government kept demanding the Illinois government surrender Joseph Smith for his charge of treason. However, the state officials refused. The Mormons argued amongst themselves. Some split off and formed their own groups. After one particularly nasty disagreement. Joseph Smith was accused of trying to marry other Mormon’s wives. He was charged with polygamy and lying under oath. One newspaper criticized Joseph Smith and the Mormons. Smith suggested destroying the Newspaper office for criticizing God’s word and the true prophet. This upset people further. A mob apprehended Joseph Smith and his brothers and handed them over to the Carthage jail.
Carthage Jail
The Angel Moroni had foretold that Joseph Smith would experience persecution. Smith was aware of the risks. On June 27th, 1844, an armed mob with blackened faces stormed Carthage Jail. Joseph’s brother, Hyrum, was trying to push the door closed, he was killed instantly with a shot to the face. Joseph Smith attempted to jump from the 2nd floor window. When he did so, he was shot multiple times before falling out the window. As he did so, Joseph Smith called out to God. He then died shortly after hitting the ground. Joseph Smith’s other brother, Samuel Smith arrived at the scene shortly after his brothers were killed. He was ambushed by the mob and assaulted. He died days afterward.
Five men were charged for the murders but all were acquitted. Among Mormons, he is regarded as a martyred prophet on par with Moses and Elijah. In a 2015 compilation of the 100 Most Significant Americans of All Time, Smithsonian magazine ranked Smith first in the category of religious figures.
“The enemy of truth opposes the servants of the Lord, especially as they grow closer to the Lord.”
https://youtu.be/9Pxxa1sMvK4
After the death of Joseph Smith
After Joseph Smith died, the Mormon’s fractured. Some followed Joseph Smith’s oldest son. Others followed Joseph Smith’s friend, Brigham Young. Many moved from Illinois into the American Western Territories. Today this territory is known as the State of Utah. 55% of people in Utah identify as Mormon. 6 Million within the USA and 16.8 million members worldwide, notably Mexico and Brazil.
The Latter Day Saints practiced polygamy until 1890. Mormon’s today justify it as a way widows were cared for after their persecuted husbands had been murdered. Some Mormon groups still practice this today despite the practice being illegal in the United States.
The 11 witnesses’ died without recanting what they had seen.
Today, Mormon men spread the word. They go door to door in pairs spreading the new testament of jesus christ.
Two by Two song
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