I met a man in Davis County a few years ago who was saying that the Latter-day Saint Church had gone into Apostasy. Some way or other most of what he was saying was making many people there upset. Anyhow, believing myself to possess an open mind, when I had a chance to speak with him privately, I asked him to show me what he had to substantiate what he was saying. This was the first of many conversations with him. Most of what he was saying made a lot of sense. This started me on a search on my own to find out what was true.
I found that I had to do the same as Joseph Smith had done! Ask the Lord in humble prayer. After some time he was able to get me the Pamphlets. I would read some, then I would pray about what I had read. Sometimes I would get a witness, sometimes I wouldn't. When I wouldn't, I still had a desire to continue reading. Most, I mean almost all of the time my question was then answered in the next few pages.
For the first time in my life, the scriptures became something very real, you know, not just a bunch of stories. I could finally really apply them to myself. When I would pray about what I read, I kept getting witnesses that what I was reading was true. I mean I really dove into the scriptures. I read the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, a good share of the Bible. I could not find anything to disprove what I read! All the time getting more upset at the leadership of the LDS Church for keeping me in the dark, changing God's Laws, God's ordinances just to become friends with the world. I mean one morning I woke up really upset with the LDS church for not giving the LDS people true temple ordinances. Giving them bogus temple marriages, leaving out most of a true temple endowment, and changing all God's ordinances.
Imagine my consternation. Here I was, 48 years old, raised in the LDS church, had always thought it to be the only true church. It started out true. Joseph Smith is a true prophet. Brigham Young is a true prophet. What could have happened? The answer was in finding out what kept happening to the true church in the Book of Mormon. Apostasy, apathy, pride, telling God how he was going to save them, blindly following the "brethren."
Joseph Smith plainly taught the people to become your own agent with God. See Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, page 13:
" And, fellow sojourners upon earth, it is your privilege to purify yourselves and come up to the same glory, and see for yourselves, and know for yourselves. Ask, and it shall be given you; seek and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you." (TPJS, p. 13)
What do they give you the gift of the Holy Ghost for anyhow? Could it be so you could find the truth for yourself? I think so.
Anyhow, I came to know that after all the witnesses I had received by the Holy Ghost. How could I ever cast away what I had just learned as a thing of nought? I couldn't. After I read Jacob chapter 5 again, it became perfectly clear to me what I must do.
I had to go to Manti myself, and prove for myself if there really is a true prophet on earth. I testify to you there is, and he is not at the head of the Mormon Church.
What is going on in Manti is true. God has set His hand the second time to gather His elect. I humbly thank God for seeing to that I found out. My life has been completely changed. I seek to be able to do it God's way. I pray I may be able to overcome my past, and become new inside and out. I have found hope. You can too. I pray God will witness unto you that this is true. God does still work miracles. This is true. Your humble servant in God.
Niel Oke McQueen