I had a cool experience last night. We met with Ben again, for the fourth time or so. In the last appointment, he'd explained to us that it was funny that we were trying to convert him, because he was trying to convert us! We had only ever answered his questions or defended the faith (instead of teaching lessons) as we'd met with him, so we decided unless he was willing to make and keep commitments, that we were going to drop[ him. We really loved the kid, and wanted to clarify the misconceptions about the church, but we were also wasting the time we could be spending teaching someone who was ready to learn.
We said a prayer in the car (he excused himself the second time we met with him, when we asked if we could say a prayer) and met him on his front porch again. He showed us the new book he'd gotten from the Christian bookstore (The Facts on Mormonism or algo así,) and how it had references for all the quotes, etc.
He then asked to see my BoM, (he wanted to read some verse that proved it wasn't true.) As I handed ti to him, I asked what happened to the copy we gave him. He kind of smiled but ashamedly stammered "W-well, the real reason I wanted the Book of Mormon is so that I could burn it." He apologized and said he didn't want to offend us but he didn't want to lie either. At first I was really hurt - or wanted to be - but I wasn't, (or I didn't let it show that I was.) I calmly told him that was fine, he had the right to do whatever he wanted with it, it was a free country and he could do as he chose.
I calmly and honestly asked him why he did it. He explained that he hated the devil and that he hated anything that was meant to draw people away from the true word of God, or in other words, he hated all cults (anything that is not part of the orthodox Christian church.) He hated the Koran, he hated the Watchtower, etc. But he just ended up ripping up the Book of Mormon. Still, he apologized, telling us that he didn't hate us, he just hated those false doctrines.
We proceeded and mostly just sat there as he read quotes in the books he had about how Joseph Smith was an occultist and had revelations by looking at a seer stone inside of a hat (quoted by "Dr. Whitmer"); how we are polytheistic because we believe that "God the Father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost are all Gods" (-McKonkie); how we believe we can become gods, how we don't believe in the creation of matter from nothing, how Joseph Smith was a polygamist (even though we explained to him that David and Solomon were too,) how we believe the Bible is "unreliable," (I quoted the 8th Article of Faith) and on and on. In all of it we occasionally would explain how things the book said were not true, but mostly we said, "Well, I know Joseph Smith was a prophet from the witness I received from God." He simply couldn't grasp how we could believe that when there was all this evidence in his hands to the contrary. He hadn't read the BoM, but all these scholars had, and they had so much proof that it wasn't true. I told him I'd take God's word over a man's any day. If God told me he was a prophet, he was a prophet. I went back to what I'd said before. The comforter of Holy Ghost was sent to teach us all things, and in Galatians it said the fruits of the spirit were love, joy, peace, etc. The same feelings I felt when I prayed about the BoM. He tried to explain what the real meaning of that scripture was. I explained it was what it was. We know through our feelings. He told me we shouldn't trust our feelings becaue we can lust after a woman and feel good, even though it was a sin. I told him it was a physical feeling, not a spiritual one.
We honestly and sincerely tried to explain it to him, not in a contentious way. He told us he wasn't trying to say we were wrong, but that the doctrine of the Mormon church was wrong. I pulled out my ministerial certificate and explained to him that I was a representative of that church, called by a living prophet of God and given power and authority to teach what really was the doctrine of our church, the true doctrine of Jesus Christ.
I finally said to him, "Ben, we really appreciate everything you've done to try and help us. We're glad that you're seeking the truth, but everything you've said hasn't changed the way we feel or the things we know. I know the Book of Mormon is true. I know Joseph Smith was a prophet and that we have a living prophet on the earth today. I know that you can also know these things for yourself if you go and ask God. I know he will tell you through the spirit, just as he told me. I know I have more authority to say that than any of these scholars. I know that even though you may have not converted us and saved us, I know he is happy with your efforts to choose the right and to help us. I also know you should at least read the Book of Mormon for yourself, because you will be held accountable for the things that are in it. Our time is valuable and we'd love to keep visiting you, but there are others who want to listen."
He looked like we'd just told him he failed some test. I knew he really was trying to help us, but he'd been blinded by the "craftiness of men". As I testified to him it came with such clarity and power as I'd never felt before. The words came out on their own. I wasn't even thinking about what I was saying or what I was going to say. I didn't have any doubts that what I was saying was true. I didn't have to double check, "wait, is this right?" Though I felt bad that Ben hadn't listened to the Spirit that I know was there when Elder Herrin and I tetified, we had done what we were called to do. We had reaised a warning voice.
It was an amazing experience. I realized there are a lot of pretty good arguments against our church. I don't know them all, I don't know all the answers to them, but I know I received an answer back when I prayed about the BoM. I knew I probably would have been shaken pretty badly if it weren't for the trust in God that I have, and the continual witness of the Holy Ghost that these things are true. I knew all the facts, reasons and explanations in the world wouldn't have been enough to convince Ben the Church was true. The only way he could know for himself would be by going to the source--asking God in prayer. Until he could humble himself enough to do that, he would never truly know.
So my beloved brothers, sisters and parents: If you ever wonder or have any doubts or questions, ask and you shall receive. And it doesn't matter how weak we may think we are, when it comes to preaching the gospel, the Lord will make up for what you lack.
Hopefully this helps oneof you. :) Either way, I love you, "the church is true, the book is blue, and God is a Mormon". ;)
LOVE, ELDER SEAN
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