~~  Seminar on Mormonism  ~~

Helping Mormons Reach Perfection
PRESENTS
A TWO DAY SEMINAR AT AN
"Old Fashioned Camp Meeting"
Church of God (General Council)

Bring your tent, camper, RV, or what have you,
and enjoy a relaxing week of fellowship and worship!

8 days, Friday - Saturday
Every 4th of July weekend

1808 West 3rd St. Meridian, Idaho 83642
(Behind the US-Bank on Cherry Lane)

The following pictures are taken from the outreach of 
Helping Mormons Reach Perfection 
at the 1999 Church of God Camp Meeting. 

The theme for 1999 was "Is Jesus Real to You?". We spent the entire week at the event. We were blessed with the opportunity to share the truth about Mormonism and also how to effectively witness to Mormons. I spoke two days both of which were 2 hour sessions. We also had a large booth set up all week with many items of literature available for free and for sale. Many items such as actual Mormon books were for display purposes so that people could compare some of the writings and teachings of the Mormon church with Biblical Christianity for themselves and at the same time see the contradictions that exist amongst their own writings. We also had videos being shown such as God Makers, God Makers II, Temple of the God Makers, The Mormon Dilemma, and also The Mormon Puzzle. The children really enjoyed watching them especially the cartoon that is on most of the films we showed. We had the Mormon "Robes of the Holy Priesthood" from the temple on display with large poster type framed pictures of the Biblical version of the Robes of the Holy Priesthood for comparison. Also on display were the Garments (holy underwear) that are worn by every worthy Mormon. It was a great week with lots of spiritual nourishment, fellowship, and good food.

At our booth showing two pamphlets that I have prepared that detail the Mormon temple Endowment Ceremony and all of the ceremonies of the Mormon temple.

Day One

Day 1 of the two part seminar going through the History and Doctrines of the Mormon church.

Describing the slides being shown to the audience.

Showing a display of actual Garments worn by every worthy endowed Mormon.

Here I point out the marks of the compass, square, and rule that are on the garment. Also in the slide shown here he shows how the Garment has evolved and reveals the statement he was told in the temple the first time he put on the garment. It reads as follows;
I place this Garment upon you which you must wear throughout your life. It represents the Garment given to Adam when he was found naked in the Garden of Eden, and is called the Garment of the Holy Priesthood. Inasmuch as you do not defile it, but are true and faithful to your covenants, it will be a shield and a protection to you against the power of the destroyer until you have finished your work here on earth. With this Garment I give you a New Name, which you should always remember, and which you must keep sacred, and never reveal except at a certain place which will be shown your hereafter. The name is "Moses."

Finishing up with the Garment presentation we move onto the portion of the presentation that describes briefly the Mormon temple endowment and reveals the actual ceremonial clothes worn in that ceremony. The slide being shown in this picture highlights this statement;

Your endowment is, to receive all those ordinances in the House of the Lord, which are necessary for you, after you have departed this life, to enable you to walk back to the presence of the Father, passing the angels who stand as sentinels, being enabled to give them the key words, the signs and tokens, pertaining to the Holy Priesthood, and gain your eternal exaltation in spite of earth and hell.
Journal of Discourses, Vol.2, p.31, Brigham Young, April 6, 1853

Comparing the Biblical robes of the Holy Priesthood with those of the LDS Holy Priesthood. Why would they be different? Is God the same yesterday, today and forever? Did the Biblical version change from the Tabernacle in the Wilderness to Solomon's Temple? They did not! So if the Mormon temple is supposed to be similar to the Biblical version why are these so different. It might be important to ask, where is the lampstand, table of shew bread, or the Ark of the Covenant?

"Oh God Hear The Words Of My Mouth!" Here Rod demonstrates part of the Mormon temple ceremony with the audience. Pointing out it was Satan who answered Adam's prayer in the lone and dreary world, so who will answer the Mormon participant's prayer when they chant this phrase three times around an alter like the temple presentation says Adam did?

Day Two

The first day was mainly a presentation of the chronological history of the Mormon Church and a comparison of the teachings and doctrines of the Mormon Church. This was done to give the fellow Christians in attendance a knowledge for themselves and their children, that they might be armed with truth when confronted with a Mormon who will try to proselytize them. It was not intended to teach Christians to bash Mormons about their religious beliefs, but just to give them a clear understanding of the differences that exist between Mormonism and Orthodox Christianity.

On the second day the focus was on how to effectively witness to Mormons using God's Word, found in the Holy Bible. We started with a quick overview of the day before and led into how witnessing to Mormons is not only possible, but gave examples of how to do it with a focus on the message of perfection. We also showed the result of what witnessing can do and how it not only made a difference in my life but also in the life of many others, leading people to the REAL JESUS of the Bible.

I describe a story found in the Gospel Principles Manual that describes how Mormons must pay Jesus back for the price he paid for them.

At this point in the presentation I have handed out to the audience a free pamphlet titled "A Guide to Speaking the Truth in Love to Mormons". This pamphlet was prepared through the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS) and a condensed version can be found here. As we briefly go over the pamphlet we begin to understand how we can witness and also why we need to.

¶ Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort [you] that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. Jude 1:3

1 ¶ I charge [thee] therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;
2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
4 And they shall turn away [their] ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
5 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry. 2 Timothy 4:1-5

The next pamphlet, that also was provided to the audience for free, is titled "A Guide to Witnessing to Mormon Missionaries". This pamphlet was prepared through the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS) also and a condensed version can be found here. It goes over the real life struggle Mormon missionaries are going through and gives you the knowledge of how you can reach them with love through God's word.

A representation of Mormon missionaries from the film called "Speaking the Truth in Love to Mormons" prepared through the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS) and Pastor Mark Cares of the Messiah Lutheran Church in Nampa Idaho. They are about to approach the door of what they hope to be a "Golden Contact". When they come to your door do you tell them you have your own religion and shut the door or do you invite them in to share with them God's Word. I would strongly encourage well seated Christians to do so. But, if you are not deeply rooted in what the Bible says I would caution you because the Mormon missionaries can use this as advantage on their part to give you their twist or interpretation of what the Bible says, along with taking many Biblical verses out of context.

Sharing the message of perfection from God's Word and how it is something they can obtain through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and not of their self works.

Don Savanan shares his experience while in the Mormon Church and the process that led him out of it and into the truth. The first thing Don said when I invited him to come to the pulpit and share his story was "Praise the Lord". I agree with him in that statement for he and I have much to give God praise for.

Here I share with the congregation three tracts prepared through the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS) designed to be given to Mormons. The are entitled "Perfection Now", "The Miracle of Forgiveness", and "A Testimony of Jesus Christ". You can view a condensed version of them by clicking on the links.

Pastor Mike Ahlborn offers the closing prayer.

Well, Aren't they?