Visiting Teaching Message: November 2014

02 November

Visiting Teaching MsgDuring the month of November the Ensign takes a break from publishing their regular Visiting Teaching message, and suggests the visiting teachers use one of the General Conference talks as their message for this month.

So with that in mind I’ve chosen to use Carol F. McConkie’s talk titled “Living according to the Words of the Prophets”.


The first question that came to my mind as I read this title was, why do the words of Mormon prophetsCarol F. McConkie deserve such emphasis in the lives of the Mormon people (hence the use of a capital w in its title)?

Don’t they know that all those who possess a bible already have God’s own spoken word and therefore have no need to look to man to hear from God?

God’s written and revealed word, coupled with the Holy Spirit gives us all we need to know to understand and know His will for our lives. Digging into His word daily, along with prayer helps us to walk according to all He’s revealed to us.
As we study what God has said about His word He makes His stance and feelings on the subject very clear. Some examples of this are (emphasis are mine):

Psalm 138:2 I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.

John 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

2 Timothy 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

Romans 15:4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.

Some of the comments she made in this talk I found rather frightening. I’ve been out of Mormonism for a number of years now and I still find it unsettling to see just how deep they’re in it. It’s heartbreaking to see this unwavering allegiance they have to a man whose leading them far off the path God intended for them.

For instance this is how she begins her talk about the prophet of Mormonism.

“Our Father in Heaven loves all of His children and desires that they know and understand His plan of happiness. Therefore, He calls prophets, those who have been ordained with power and authority to act in God’s name for the salvation of His children. They are messengers of righteousness, witnesses of Jesus Christ and the infinite power of His Atonement. They hold the keys of the kingdom of God on earth and authorize the performance of saving ordinances.” (Carol F. McConkie- October 2014 General Conference)

Now I could probably write a rebuttal on that quote alone but for time sake I just want to comment on the last sentence. She said:

“They (Mormon prophets) hold the keys of the kingdom of God on earth and authorize the performance of saving ordinances.”

These “keys” are the authority to act through the priesthood as the prophet of the Church.
On lds.org under the topics section of the priesthood we read:

“Jesus Christ holds all the keys of the priesthood pertaining to His Church. He has conferred upon each of His Apostles all the keys that pertain to the kingdom of God on earth. The senior living Apostle, the President of the Church, is the only person on earth authorized to exercise all priesthood keys.”

That’s odd, let’s take a look at what scripture says in regards to Jesus and His priesthood.

Hebrews 7:24-25 But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

It’s because of the priesthood Jesus holds that we have salvation and are able to be saved to the “uttermost” (I love that part).

Mormons sustain President Thomas S. Monson as their prophet, seer, and revelator, but in reality he’s just a man. He’s a man just like any other who has sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, and needs to repent.

Sustaining this man and those before him as a prophet has led Mormons to follow after a false god who brings with him a false salvation. And we know from studying scripture what comes from worshiping a god who isn’t the one true God of the bible.

Instead of worrying about walking “according” to all a mortal man has said, maybe,…hopefully,……I pray with all my heart Mormons will learn to walk according to all that God has revealed to them. It’s all they need. Of course they can choose to ignore it, and continue to put the words of Monson and their other “prophets” above what God has already spoken but they will sadly suffer the consequences for it.

As always I ask that you join me in prayer as I pray for them, that they will come to know the one true God.

In Christ,
Melissa Grimes (melissa@lifeafter.org)

References:

Ensign November 2014

LDS Gospel Topics Priesthood 

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