MormonInfo.org

April 8, 2003

Dear Family and Friends,

Last month I went to California for a couple weeks over my spring break. The Utah Spring Break team of Biola University flew me down to speak to them on Mormonism, the nature of God and the Trinity. I was also able to speak at Emmanuel Faith Community Church's college group (in Escondido) on Mormonism and the nature of God (this group is planning on bringing a team up to UT in August). I was also interviewed in San Diego on the Rick Roberts show (760 AM) for about 10 minutes concerning my many contacts with that freak that abducted Elizabeth Smart.

I said that Immanuel was a street beggar, who happens to be a religious kook. I thought for the longest time that he was a deaf-mute, since he'd always approach people with his hand out and not saying anything. A number of times I'd say "Hi" to him and try to engage him in conversation, but he'd always give me this "poor baby" routine and try to heap SILENT guilt on me when I didn't give him any money. After I saw him one day talking with Wanda, I concluded he was taking some religious vow of silence with everyone else. I was only able to confirm that he was in fact a street preacher after I got back from CA and ran into a witness who used to watch him preach to the cars that would drive by in South Salt Lake.

A couple days after I got back from CA, I got to talk with a couple missionaries who came to my door. This was the first time that any missionaries had come to my place. Someone had actually set them up to talk to me. I don't know if it was a joke on them or not, but I had a good couple hours with them. One of the guys admitted that he needed to study more, so that he could give reasons for others to believe his faith. They allowed me to pray for them at the end of our conversation.

For General Conference last weekend, I had a buddy of mine up for a few days from Biola University Matt Vessey. Matt is in charge of the education for their UT team. This is a biannual conference that draws thousands of LDS every first weekend of April and October. We passed out tracts, business cards with Matt's web site on them (perfectrighteousness.com), held up a sign with "perfectrighteousness.com" on one side and "MormonChallenge.com" on the other (I thank my buddy Raul Hogland for that idea), preached, and got in conversations with people.

Here are a few of the highlights: I shouted out to a large crowd that God isn't so weak that He needed to get a wife to become God. This one guy approached me, and asked if we could debate. He told me that the LDS Church didn't preach that God had a wife. Turns out the guy used to be Catholic just seven months ago! He was quite surprised, and will be even more surprised when he learns this doctrine from within. It's also interesting to note that this guy approached me because he was able to hear something that he took issue with. It was bait, and he bit at it. This happens all the time when I preach. On another occasion while I preached, one guy walked by me telling me to "shut up!" As I continued preaching, he totally slapped me on my cheek! He quickly moved along into Temple Square on his way to his priesthood meeting. I am barred from stepping foot in Temple Square, so I simply asked a couple people if they saw it, but no one did. At the very end of our time at the conference, this couple approached me for information. He used to be a Roman Catholic and Greek Orthodox, and she used to be LDS. They were simply searching. So I got to not only give them a lot of info on Mormonism, but I got to share the gospel with them and give them some reasons to believe. They were so happy to run into someone that could steer them to some good resources. At the end of our conversation, they allowed me to pray for them. So I prayed that God would direct them to Himself, enlighten, and save them.

This was a unique General Conference since this was the first one after the appellate court in Denver came down with its ruling against the local (LDS) judge's decision that the LDS Church had full control over the Main Street Plaza. Denver said that the public easement is supposed to be maintained by the city, and therefore, the rules that apply on city sidewalks apply to the easement on the Main Street Plaza. Since that decision, the city has been requiring preachers and protesters to obtain permits for a small fee. This is totally unconstitutional since the Supreme Court already ruled in favor of Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses in Stratton, OH last year claiming that the city has no right to regulate free speech in any way. So every street preacher, with the exception of one, never bothered to obtain a permit to preach on Main Street Plaza. I never obtained one either, and I did a very limited amount of preaching on Main Street Plaza (it was constantly well covered by other preachers). The cops never enforced the permit regulation.

As a result of this controversy, I was on the local news four times within a week. I was on twice with CBS, once with Fox, and once on the BYU cable news network. It amazed me what CBS played of my interview. The first interview played me saying, "We preach that God isn't even a man to have a wife as the LDS Church teaches." The second played me saying, "We just differ with LDS on who God is, we differ on who Jesus is, and the means of salvation, and we want LDS to believe like we do, since we think they are deceived." Later in that same interview they played me saying, "As an American citizen, I have all the rights I need to open my mouth and say what I think."

Rob
Rob@Mormon Info.org
Mormon Info

****PRAYER LIST****

1. That God would open eyes and hearts.
2. Protection as I minister.
3. Financial provision.
4. More teams to come and minister here this summer.

****MAILBAG****

Thanks for sharing with our students. You did a great job and many made positive statements. Some were bummed because I didn't keep a bunch of your tracts.

Keep up the good work and your mailings, they are not in vain.

Dear Rob, Thanks so much for the heads up on the DNA video! I have already purchased approximately 30 tapes to handout. This should open many eyes. It's my sincere hope that the great structure of the LDS church can be brought in line with the rest of the true body of Christ. What a blessing that would be to the cause of Christ. Thanks

Hey Rob, I am encouraged by the irenic tone of the dialogue this fellow has with you. Stay with it, "with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, and they come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will." 2 Timothy 2:25,26. The glaring fallacy in his argument of course is he is characterizing scientific fact as "theories of men", kind of a reverse Darwinian evolutionist view. It seems to me the first hurdle is to help him be intellectually honest by accepting the hard data for what it is. To simply dismiss good scientific research as Satanically inspired intellectualism is juvenile at best, and is at far worse self deceiving. I pray God will continue to use you in this gentleman's life. Peace

Dear Protester, I would like to express my gratitude to you for standing outside in this cold weather to testify against this gospel. To me it shows once again that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the only true church on the face of the earth. For the Scriptures say that when the gospel has been spread among the children of men Satan will try to stop it, and that's what you're doing!! I pray that you one day will understand and accept this true gospel. Don't let Satan take over you. You know this gospel is led by Christ, because if it wasn't the true church, it wouldn't be growing as fast as it is right now. Please stop persecuting Christ. I encourage you to listen to the missionaries and let the light of Christ open your eyes. If you do as I say, I promise you, you will be blessed. I know this church is true, I know Joseph Smith saw Heavenly Father (God), and Christ, I know that the Bible and Book of Mormon are the words of God, God loves us all. Gordon B. Hinckley is a true prophet of God, I know God gave men His power (the priesthood) to act on His name in righteousness. This church is true no doubt about it. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ amen. I love you!! Listen to the missionaries!!