I Was a Mormon: Elder B


I was born and raised in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I was baptized and got the priesthood. I got accepted to MTC for my mission. It was one of the happiest moments of my life.

 

Once I was posted on my mission, just a few months in, I started talking to a Christian guy. I was trying to convert him to the Church. We talked a lot. I went over the gospel with him according the Church and the Book of Mormon. He went over the gospel of Jesus according to the Bible. He challenged me to test Joseph Smith as a true prophet of God.

 

After many discussions and studying up on my own, I came to one conclusion: Joseph Smith was a false prophet and failed the biblical test of a prophet in Deut. 18:20-22. I was also having struggles as a young man with sin, but yet the Church expected me to be a perfect little angel (don't sin, don't break the Word of Wisdom). With only 6 months left of my mission, and after getting into it with the Mission President over some personal issues and my lack of believing in Joseph Smith anymore or the Church, we both agreed I would go back home. I was done with my mission and no longer wanted to be in the Church.

 

When I got back home, my parents were upset with me. I got my own place, got a steady job, and kept reading God's word the Bible. The more I read the Bible and compared it to Mormon doctrine, the more I could see how wrong the Church was. I also read up on the first vision contradictions, the faulty Book of Abraham translation Joseph Smith did, saw DNA vs The Book of Mormon, God Makers, The Mormon Puzzle, The Bible vs the Book of Mormon, read info on CRI website, went to the Tanners website, and went to Saints Alive. I also went to FAIRLDS.org. What a bunch of ridiculous pro-Mormon propaganda! If you're a Mormon leaving the Church, the Tanners have lots of great info that is unbiased and not just pro-Mormon. I also read The Kingdom of the Cults and Maze of Mormonism. Plus most important, all the great Christians on YouTube who helped witness to me, too many to name. Thank you all so very much for sharing the gospel with me.

 

I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior and wrote a letter of dismissal to the Church and had a Bishop’s Court. Met with the Bishop and told him I want my name removed from the records of the Church. He asked why, and I told him Joseph Smith is a false prophet and I no longer follow him or his teachings. I told him I want my name removal to show that I was not excommunicated. The Bishop agreed and my name was removed from the records of the church.

 

I now serve the real Jesus of the Bible and am helping others leave the Mormon Church and learn the real gospel. I have now helped several people leave the LDS Church and have helped prevent several more from joining the Mormon cult.

 

Mormonism is another gospel that Joseph Smith invented. There were no gold plates. There were no Nephites and Lamanites. It never happened; they never existed. It was all from the imagination and creativity of a treasure seeker that practiced the occult. He had tall tales and created a religion out of it. That is all. Mormonism is a works based religion. But Jesus gives us eternal life as an act of grace. All we have to do is believe in Him to be saved.

 

I pray for my parents to get saved. We have had some intense discussions and I keep praying for them. I have also been threatened a few times on YouTube for preaching Jesus to the Mormons. I still love all my Mormon brothers and sisters. I just pray Heavenly Father will open their eyes to see the truth!

 

Thanks again YouTube Christians for all your help! May God bless us all!

 

Elder B
(ex-Mormon missionary for Christ)

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Sandy says... (Reply)
"I had a friend who converted to Mormonism. At the time I was going through struggles of faith of my own, and earnestly seeking God. I spoke to the missionaries and tried to read The Book of Mormon. Having prayed to know if the book was true, I heard as plain as though God were in the room with me, 'Read your own (Christian) bible, whereupon I took the Book of Mormon and threw it into the garbage. I am now reading a book about Joseph Smith (admittedly fiction, but supposedly well researched) and I am once again totally certain that this man was nothing but a ne'er-do-well, self serving, occult loving FRAUD! Reading your and other ex-Mormon testimonies serves to strengthen my own faith. Keep up the good work!" (2/15/14)
Brother Justin says... (Reply)
"Amen! Thank you for your testimony!" (10/15/15)
Pella, Iowa says... (Reply)
"Elder B -
I am proud of you for trying on your mission. The world needs more good people, who selflessly serve to bless others. I am a member myself. I pray that you might listen to my words - or, rather, that you would listen to the words of the Spirit. I believe that you are still trying to do what is right. I am glad to see that you have a firm faith in Christ, and that you are still trying to help others come to Christ. But I would caution you with this - I believe that you do know that Mormonism is not quite what you claim. I don't really expect that, right now, you would consider yourself to agree with all that we believe in. But, hopefully, if you were a missionary, you know that the Mormon Church is literally titled The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I would invite you to continue to question Joseph Smith, to ponder his teachings, and that you will listen to the Holy Ghost as you ponder the truthfulness of our Church. I want this for you. Why? Because we are the one unique church - we claim to have prophets to this day, God's Priesthood, the restored gospel, and everything complete of the organization of Christ's Church. For have miracles ceased? Is God not the same yesterday, today, and forever? Doesn't He still love His children? There must be a restored church. Therefore, as my purpose isn't to bring you to a cult, but to help you, I would invite you to not jump the gun and instantly go back to the Church, but that you might read the Book of Mormon, and see if there is anything in it that does conflict with Christ's gospel, even what is in the Bible - as the Book of Mormon does not replace the Bible, but supports it - and that you might sincerely pray if it is true, and with faith in Christ, with the intention to act upon the answer you receive from the Holy Ghost. I know that the Lord will reveal to you the truth of it if you earnestly want to know, and that He will bless you with guidance throughout all of your life to live Christ's gospel. I know that we can all be perfected in Him one day, and that we can feel His infinite love as we diligently seek for that which is right. I will be praying for you that your testimony in Christ may be continually strengthened." (8/7/17)