Visiting Teaching Message May 2015

04 May

Visiting Teaching MsgTwice a year (May & November) the Church instructs Visiting Teachers to choose a talk from their General Conferences held the previous month (April & October) to use as a lesson for their Visiting Teaching Message.

With that in mind, we chose an unconventional talk that wasn’t necessarily intended for the entire Mormon populace. The talk we chose was delivered by LDS Apostle, M. Russell Ballard entitled ‘The Greatest Generation of Young Adults’.

In his talk Mr. Ballard spoke at great length to the young men of the Church focusing on many of the duties Mormon kids are required to uphold and obey. Most unfortunately, he misled the young men by telling them things about Jesus that simply aren’t true.

Here in part are a couple of those things he taught –

General Conference, “The Greatest Generation of Young Adults,” May 2015; “…You single adults need to date and marry. Please stop delaying! I know some of you fear family formation. However, if you marry the right person at the right time and in the right place, you need not fear. In fact, many problems you encounter will be avoided if you are “anxiously engaged” in righteous dating, courting, and marriage…”

Wow. We’re wondering where the message of Jesus’ spilt blood is.

Why did this highly educated man feel led to tell these boys they’ll have no fear if they just get married?

Where is that in the Bible?

Do wedding bells wipe out the stain of sin?

“Now, brethren, I testify to you that the Lord Jesus Christ can help us fix anything that needs fixing in our lives through His atoning sacrifice.”

How does Jesus do this?

What exactly can Jesus fix for you?

When will Jesus fix your problem? Is it today, tomorrow, next week?

Why would Jesus fix your problem?

Where does it say this in the Bible?

“This evening, as we prepare to celebrate Easter Sunday tomorrow, please pause with me to remember the gift of Christ’s Atonement. Remember that our Heavenly Father and our Savior, Jesus Christ, know you best and love you the most.

Through the Atonement, the Redeemer took upon Himself our troubles, pains, and sins.”

Peter said “He bore our sins”. 1 Peter 2:24.

Hebrews 2:18 – “In that for He Himself being tempted, He is able to succor them who are tempted.”

Isaiah 53:4 – “Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.”

Matthew 8:17 – “That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.”

This is misleading. Jesus took our sins upon Him while on the cross, however, he was tempted, went hungry, and bore our griefs before He went to the cross. Furthermore, He didn’t take our troubles upon Himself before the cross. He suffered these things to be an example for us, and for us to see that as a human, he can empathize with our distresses in life.

“The Savior of the world came to understand each of us individually by experiencing our dashed hopes, challenges, and tragedies through His suffering in Gethsemane and on the cross.5 He died as one final act of love for us and was buried in a new tomb on that fateful night.” – M. Russell Ballard

This too is incorrect as we’ve noted above. Furthermore, Jesus didn’t pay for our sins in Gethsemane. He paid for sin on the cross.

It’s important to point out the link they provided in this section of Mr. Ballard’s talk. The link takes us to Mosiah 3:5-13. Part of what they referenced (vs. 8) is sufficient enough to show their contradictory lies.

Mosiah 3:8; “And he shall be called Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Father of heaven and earth, the Creator of all things from the beginning; and his mother shall be called Mary.”

How can Jesus be the Father if they believe they’re two separate human beings?

Remember to pray won’t you? Even though this wasn’t a lesson geared strictly for the females of the Church, you can still use it as a teaching and witnessing tool for the Mormon in your life!

With Love in Christ;

Michelle †

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