In the upcoming July issue of (the) Friend, a magazine especially written for Mormon children, there’s a game designed to help them learn all they must do to return back to Heavenly Father.

Many of you may be wondering, how they are going to return “back” to God? Well, according to Mormon doctrine all of us lived in a place called the pre-existence. We lived there as spirit children of Heavenly Father before we came to earth, and attained physical bodies. And if we do all we can do, based on Mormon teachings, we can return to Heavenly Father’s presence.

You can view the game board here: Your Path to Heavenly Father

The caption for the game reads:

“Your path back to Heavenly Father has some necessary steps. It also has other experiences that are not necessary but that help you learn. Find out more as you play this fun game!”

Let’s take a look at those “necessary steps”, shall we?

I should point out that these steps are called “Steps to Salvation”.

Premortal life, Get a body, Be baptized, Receive the Holy Ghost, Take the sacrament, Keep the commandments, Go to the temple, Be sealed to your husband or wife, Be resurrected

Wow, that’s quite a lot for a young one to take in. So much undue stress heaped on a little mind who’s still trying to figure out how to tie their shoes, and struggling to eat all their vegetables.

I’m a little unsure how the “premortal life” can be considered a step since, again based on Mormon doctrine everyone had a premortal life whether they wanted to or not. The “keep the commandments” thing can be overwhelming for an adult Mormon to wrap their mind around let alone a child barely eight years old. There’s so much more to the Mormon commandments than what we think of when we hear the word commandments in Christianity, too many to list here.

The “not necessary” steps in this game are just as interesting.

They are:

“Go to school, Learn to ride a bike, Lose a tooth, Tie your shoes, Make a friend, Read a book, Play sports or games, Share your toys”

Granted these steps aren’t part of your salvation, but I’d hardly call them unnecessary. Learning to read, going to school, tying your shoes are quiet necessary, that is if you want to be a functioning part of society. I would think they would also be very beneficial in being able to be used by the Lord so that you could possibly lead someone to the Lord.

When I think of all the standards, and lists like this that Mormons like to create, it makes me sad for them. They’re toiling away for their salvation, checking off items as the go along, believing in the end if they’re diligent they will make to the Celestial Kingdom.

When I read things like this I can’t help but compare and contrast it to what I’ve learn about salvation since becoming a Christian.

A few verses that stick out in my mind when I think of differences between a Mormon’s view of salvation, and a Christian’s view are these;

Acts 16:30-31 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

There are so many unnecessary, pointless steps for a Mormon to receive salvation. Jesus walked through all the steps it took for us to have eternal life. He paid the price for our sins, and offers us the gift of our salvation, if we repent and trust in Him.

As always, my prayer for Mormons everywhere is to do as He asks, repent and believe in Him.

In Christ,
Melissa Grimes

(melissa@lifeafter.org)

Reference –

Friend: July 2016