Witnessing tips. Part1

I wrote a little booklet a few years ago, I felt the Lord leading me to do it, and I have since passed it out to lots of people. I am breaking it down into 3 parts and posting it here. Please feel free to print it up and pass it around as needed. Once all three parts are posted you can simply print them and have a little booklet to use. Rick b


The Lord has called me to witness to Mormons. I have been studying Mormonism for around 6-7 years. It has been awesome how the Lord has blessed me and the talks I have had with Mormons. I feel like the Lord has spoken to my heart to put together some information for making it easier for the average person to witness to Mormons. Remember, we need to witness to Mormons to fulfill the Great Commission to make disciples of all men.

Over all, I do not claim to know everything. I feel you should spend time seeking the Lord as to how He would have each person speak to a Mormon and how to go about doing it. The purpose of this booklet is simple. I have read many books on how to witness to Mormons or books about Mormonism written by Christians. Many of the books I have read are very good and full of helpful hints. The only problem I see with most of these books is that they quote from books that most Mormons or Christians will never get their hands on, so it makes it harder to witness to Mormons. I felt lead, after much prayer, for more opportunity to help witness to Mormons. That is how this booklet came to be.

These tips will be simple and easier ways to share with Mormons. It will be done with the books most Mormons and Christians can or do have. For the people who have the rare and hard to find books like the Journal of Discourses. I will share things I have encountered so as to help you avoid the same problems I did, therefore, one less barrier to get through.

I will give a list of books that will be quoted from and the abbreviations that will be used thereafter:

Journal of Discourses --J.O.D.

Articles of Faith--A.of F.

Book of Mormon--B.O.M.

King James Version--K.J.V.

Doctrine and Covenants--D and C

Pearl of Great Price--P of GR P

Miracle of Forgiveness--Miracle

Joseph Smith’s “New Translation” of the Bible--J.S.T.

Now please allow me to explain what is meant by the phrase “some books make it harder to a certain degree to witness”. Mormon prophets of old taught things like the Adam-God doctrine or blood atonement. Bringham Young taught Adam from the Garden of Eden was and is our god. Bringham Young also taught blood atonement. This means the blood of Jesus was not enough to cleanse us of certain sins, so you needed to shed your own blood. It can be proven they did indeed teach these and other bizarre things and make a good case stating why it was not just the Mormon prophet’s mere opinion. The average Christian could not prove these things, and the average Mormon is not aware of these teachings. It is good that people put these things out for us to see and research, but as far as using these books to witness, they do not always help or work for you when you do not have the original sources to quote.

In all fairness, if a person of any given religion, or even a non-believer, came up to a Christian and said, “I heard your church teaches this, that or the other thing“, and you never heard of this before, you would ask for proof. If they either say, “Well, I read it in a book,” or “I heard it on a tape or video,” and the person that supposedly spoke this was opposed to Christianity or was not a believer, you would say that person has no idea what they are talking about, and it will get nowhere for either person involved. If this is the case, then let’s grant the Mormon the same respect as we would want. They also say, “show me these things” or “I never heard of it before.” Most likely, they have never been taught these things, or the church will act like the doctrines were never taught.

The Mormon is taught that all books speaking out against Mormonism are anti-Mormon material and will want nothing to do with them. To help further your talks, unless you have the original books quoted from, like the J.O.D, to show them, it is best not to even mention it. It is a really good idea not to mention the names of so-called anti-Mormons, because if you do, the Mormon will think you are not thinking for yourself. They believe that you are reading anti-Mormon literature, then trying to use it to attack them and their beliefs.

I believe there are main issues in witnessing we need to stay focused on, such as: who is Jesus, the trinity, the nature of God, ect. But there can and will be times where you will have a couple of talks with the same Mormons. I had one Mormon come over 4 different times. Two other times he could not make it, so he sent someone else. Then, there are websites like the “Mormon Answer Man“. I try to go to websites like these and ask questions. You can read over questions already asked. Most likely, the questions like “Who is Jesus?” and “What is the nature of God?” have been asked. If you know the things found in the B.O.M., you can ask questions about things that don’t line up. I like to go to web sites like this as a chance to witness by asking hard questions that will get the Mormon thinking. If they get posted, then other people can think about them. I will point out questions that I ask to make Mormons think later in this booklet.

I know of some ex-Mormons, though not personally, that I have on books or tapes, that feel you can witness to Mormons just using their books. I agree. What most Christians don’t know is that Joseph Smith plagiarized the Bible and took many verses or whole passages from it and put them in the B.O.M. This is one reason why so many nominal believers convert to Mormonism. When they read the B.O.M., they feel they have read this or this sounds familiar. What is good about using the B.O.M. to witness with is that there is so much Christian doctrine in the B.O.M. Even though there is no power, because it is not the true Word of God, you can show them things and point out how it lines up with what we believe and how it goes against what Mormons believe.

I have heard many people (believers), go back and forth on this issue - “Should I read the B.O.M and use it as a tool to witness?” First and foremost, pray and ask God what He would have you do on this issue. My opinion is that you should read it to help in witnessing to Mormons, as long as you have a good handle on God’s true Word first. This is why I believe this: If a person came up to you and said the Bible is a false book, full of error, and I do not believe it is of God, the first question most Christians would ask is “Have you read it?” If the person said, “No,” then you would ask, “How can you say it is wrong and full of error if you never read it?”

If this is the case, then how come we cannot except this answer when a Mormon says this to us? Granted, as a believer we know it to be a false book. Still, we seem to think we can say that to someone, but no one can say it to us. The other reason I believe we should read the B.O.M. is because the Mormons likely will not talk to you if you say you haven’t read it. If you do, however, then you are past this one argument and can talk further with them. Also, if someone says it would be a waste of time to read the B.O.M. because it is a false book, I would like to add that many believers spend much time watching TV sitcoms or movies that are very degrading to women or the faith. It is not my place to judge what you watch, but if you can justify time spent for TV then why not to help better witness to a lost and dying Mormon. Another thing to remember also is that people like Dr. Walter Martin and John Ankerberg were never Mormons, yet in their research they read the B.O.M. and quote from it in their books. You go out and buy their books and read quotes from the B.O.M. and use them in witnessing or even just to better understand the Mormon, so what is the difference if you read it or let someone else read it then tell you what is in it?

Then you could also tell them you prayed about it and the Lord said it is a false book. You can use this to your benefit by saying, “I prayed about it and now can you show me where in the K.J.V. it says to pray about the B.O.M. being true.” When you ask this question, the Mormon will most likely take you to James 1:5 and tell you this is the verse that says pray about the B.O.M. Use this chance to show them what the verse really says. Then, add to it James 3:16 and point out there is wisdom that is earthly, sensual, demonic. You could point out that perhaps Joseph Smith was following this wisdom.

So now you avoided them leaving by just reading the book and then were able to show them some good bible verses. Then say, “Not only does the Bible not teach to pray about any book, but Acts 17:11 says to search the scriptures.” Then, for the best part, point out how the B.O.M. also teaches that we need to search the scriptures. You can quote to the Mormon: Alma 14:1, Alma 17:2, and Alma 33:2. To make it even more fun, add D and C 1:14 “and the arm of the Lord shall be revealed; and the day cometh that they who will not hear the voice of the Lord, neither the voice of his servants, neither give heed to the words of the prophets and apostles, shall be cut off from among the people”.

I love that verse because you can point out that the Mormon apostles and the Lord himself said SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES! If you choose not to do that, then you will be cut off. Add one more for even more fun- D and C 131:6 says, “for it is impossible for a man to be saved in ignorance”. Point out if you don’t search the scriptures and don’t know what they teach, then you are ignorant and cannot be saved. This can open a door to serious bible study. The only problem is that most Mormon Missionaries really don’t have much time. If you are blessed, the 2-3 hours you spend with them might be the only chance you will have.

Most people don’t know this, but if you challenge a Mormon and he goes back to his stake president, they will move him on to a new area. People get mad and think the Mormon is blowing them off when this is not the case. But if you choose to use these verses from the B.O.M., then I suggest you read the book. If you do not read it, but you quote from it, then the Mormon asks if have you ever read the B.O.M. and you say no, then they might not want to talk because they will say or think you read anti-Mormon books and just take verses out of context and twist scripture. So let’s be fair here also. If someone comes to us and they have the Bible and quote a verse from it, but admit they never read the whole book, we will say to them, “You are just misquoting scripture.”

When I pointed out that there are passages of the Bible in the B.O.M., there is no point in trying to prove plagiarism. They could say that there are verses that are the same in other books of the Bible so it does not prove anything. They might also say that the prophets are quoting from that book and point out that Jesus quoted from other books. To go along with the Mormon praying about the B.O.M., he/she might say the B.O.M. is just another testament of Jesus Christ. Point out that the Bible is really 66 books by 40 different authors not just one book as some people think, or two books if they feel the Old and New Testament are two books. So we don’t need another testament as Mormons teach.

I suggest buying 2 books: Mormon doctrine by Bruce r. McConkie and the Miracle of Forgiveness by Spencer Kimball. Mormon Doctrine is 856 pages from A to Z of many things that Mormons believe, similar to an encyclopedia. Mormons will not give a full meaning of terms even if you ask. Let’s say you asked a Mormon who Jesus is, they would say He is the Son of God, yet they believe He is the spirit-brother to Lucifer. Unless you know this and say that you know the Mormon church says this is who Jesus is, they will not openly admit it.

By their lack of defining terms, they sound very Christian. Let’s look at it like this:

Christian: You are a sinner in need of a Savior. That Savior is Jesus Christ and He died for you so you could be saved.

Mormon: Yes, I agree 100 percent.

Christian: Who is Jesus?

Mormon: He is the only begotten of the Father, born of a virgin, lived a sinless life and died for my sins.

You can get them by asking if they believe in the trinity. They do deny the trinity, so that is a starting point where you do not need to have terms defined. For the most part, the Mormon will not tell you that he believes, or the church teaches, that Jesus and Lucifer are spirit brothers, Mary and God the Father had a sexual union to conceive Jesus, and she is not really a virgin. In fact, most Mormons are not aware of this teaching. But here are some sources that both Mormons and Christians have or can get access to. Page 466-467 of A.of F. says, “Jesus Christ is the son of Elohim both as spiritual and bodily offspring; that is to say, elohim is literally the father of the spirit of Jesus Christ and also of the body in which Jesus Christ performed his mission in the flesh.” This is the 1982 missionary edition.

Then, read pg. 546-547 in Mormon Doctrine under ONLY BEGOTTEN SON. “Christ was begotten by an immortal father in the same way that mortal men are begotten by mortal fathers”. As every parent knows, the only way you can have kids is through a sexual union. Now, take the Mormon to pg. 743 in Mormon Doctrine. Point out to them that this is the same book and same author and show them “SON OF MARY”. It says, and I quote, “Mary was the mother of the Son of God after the manner of the flesh.... She was carried away in the spirit was overshadowed and conceived by the power of the Holy Ghost.” Ask them which it is. Did the Father sleep with Mary or did the Holy Ghost overshadow her?

A few things can happen here. The author of the A.of F. is James Talmage, a very highly respected scholar of Mormonism. You can point out how he and Bruce agree in one area, yet in another they disagree or contradict each other. Also, if God the Father did sleep with Mary and He was not married to her, then that is a sin. Yet, if he was married to her and she was married to Joseph, then that makes them polygamists. Mormons feel this is a sin. The B.O.M. also teaches this is an abomination in God’s sight, so we have a problem. Show the Mormon Jacob 2:22-35. For our purposes, I will just quote verse 24: “behold David and Solomon truly had many wives and concubines, which thing was ABOMINABLE before me, saith the Lord.” Then remind them again about D and C 1:14.

You can now take them to the Bible and point out John 8:41 the Pharisees accused Jesus of being born through fornication. This would be true if God the Father really did have sex with Mary and take it from here. Now point out to the Mormon the book Miracle of Forgiveness. A lot of good things can go on from here. Let me first point out that the Mormon has no true assurance of salvation and the Mormon believes in grace plus works after all we can do. In D and C 82:7 it says, “and now verily I say unto you, I the Lord will not lay any sin to your charge; go your ways and sin no more; but unto that soul who sinneth shall the former sins return, saith the Lord your God.”

But point out Jeremiah 31:34c, “I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.” So what is the deal? God says in the B.O.M. your sin will return, but in the bible He says I will remember them no more. Ask the Mormon, “Do you want the Lord to remember your sin or forget your sin? Let me add also in case it comes up, a lot of Mormons today do not agree with or like Bruce McConkie. They might give you a list of reasons why they don’t trust him or like him. If they do this, then point out that in Bruce’s day he was a very well respected APOSTLE. Point out that most likely the Mormon you are speaking with is not on the same level as an APOSTLE or have not written books like him. Point out also in D and C 1:14 it says to listen to the APOSTLES or they will be cut off for not doing so.

Now Spencer Kimball adds to this on pg. 170 of Miracle of Forgiveness, he says and I quote, “to return to sin is most destructive to the morale of the individual and gives Satan another hand hold on his victim. Those who feel that they can sin and be forgiven and then return to sin and be forgiven again and again must straighten out their thinking. Each previously forgiven sin is added to the new one and the whole gets to be a heavy load”. Simply put, if you get angry and that is a sin, then you ask for forgiveness. Then, later you get angry again, then the former sin of being angry is put upon you. This will go on forever.

This logic is very sad because the Mormon is under heavy bondage and are never truly forgiven. I would point out, “How can this book be called MIRACLE OF FORGIVENESS?” Truly it is a miracle if you are forgiven, and it appears you can never be forgiven. Use this chance to study the Bible with the Mormon and show them scriptures such as 1st John 1:9; then show them Titus 1:2 and tell them that it teaches God cannot lie; then point out Hebrews 6:18 that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie. Now point out to them Matthew 18:21-35 about how to forgive. If this is God telling us how to forgive one another, how much more will and does He forgive us? Point out 2 Corinthians 6:2 where God is speaking and He says, “now is the day of salvation.” Point out to the Mormon that if today is our day of salvation as God states, then we can know with total assurance we are and have been forgiven.

Now back to Miracle - one thing you can point out, depending on how your talks go, is as follows: Spencer Kimball considers transgression a sin, if this is true then we have a problem. Mormons feel that the fall of Adam was a good thing and was ordained by God to happen. Yet in Miracle, Spencer Kimball states that transgression is a sin. In the B.O.M., in 2 Nephi 2:19-25, it states that Adam transgressed (verse 22). And in verse 25 it says that “Adam fell that men might be and men are that they might have joy.” Why would God say sin is good? It would appear as if God deceived Adam by telling him not to eat of the tree or he would die. Yet God wants them to eat or they could not truly be set free! Is this how God works?

I feel this is probably the best one to show a Mormon and could really get them thinking. It concerns Joseph Smith murdering 2 people.

Pg. 127 in Miracle says, “The murderer denies himself salvation in the celestial kingdom, and in this sense he cannot be forgiven for his crime”. On pg. 128, the prophet Joseph Smith teaches “a murderer, for instance, one that sheds innocent blood, cannot have forgiveness”. On pg. 131, Spencer goes on to teach “This is the case with murderers. They could not be baptized for the remission of sins, for they had shed innocent blood.” He goes on to say “TO THE CHURCH MEMBERS THE WORD IS CLEAR“, then he quotes from D and C 42:18, which says, “And now, behold I speak unto the church. Thou shalt not kill; and he that kills shall not have forgiveness in this world, nor in the world to come”.

Then he quotes from D and C 42:79, saying, “And it shall come to pass, that if any persons among you shall kill they shall be delivered up and dealt with according to the laws of the land; for remember that he hath no forgiveness; and it shall be proved according to the laws of the land.” Here is the best part show the Mormon - D and C 135:4 says, “WHEN JOSEPH WENT TO CARTHAGE TO DELIVER HIMSELF UP TO THE PRETENDED REQUIREMENTS OF THE LAW, TWO OR THREE DAYS PREVIOUS TO HIS ASSASSINATION, HE SAID I AM GOING LIKE A LAMB TO THE SLAUGHTER; BUT I AM CALM AS A SUMMERS MORNING; I HAVE A CONSCIENCE VOID OF OFFENCE TOWARDS GOD AND TOWARDS ALL MEN. I SHALL DIE INNOCENT, AND IT SHALL YET BE SAID OF ME HE WAS MURDERED IN COLD BLOOD”.

Notice that Joseph believes he is like Jesus being led to the cross. Now bring the Mormon to D and C 135:7. Here it says Joseph was innocent of any crime and his innocent blood was shed. Bring them to D and C 135:1 where it says “To seal the testimony of this book and the book of Mormon, we announce the martyrdom of Joseph Smith the prophet.” Then down farther in verse 1 it says Joseph Smith tried to jump out of the window in the jail. Point out to the Mormon that if Joseph Smith was truly a martyr as Jesus was, he would not have tried to escape. But now for the best part.

Read History of the Church, Volume 7, pg. 102-103. My copy is the 1978 edition. I am sure anybody can still buy History of the Church to show them this passage. I quote from History: “I shall never forget the deep feeling of sympathy and regard manifested in the countance of brother Joseph as he drew nigh to Hyrum, and leaning over him exclaimed OH! My poor dear brother Hyrum! He however instantly arose, and with a firm, quick step and a determined expression of countenance approached the door, and pulling the six shooter left by brother Wheelock from his pocket, opened the door slightly, and snapped the pistol six successive times; only three of the barrels, however, were discharged. I afterwards understood that two or three were wounded by these discharges, two of whom, I am informed, died. I had in my hands a large strong hickory stick, brought there by brother Markham, and left by him, which I had seized as soon as I saw the mob approach; and while brother Joseph was firing the pistol, I stood close behind him.”

Would a true martyr fight back? No, this does not line up with Joseph saying he is without offence towards God when he killed two people. It also shows he was not lead to the slaughter. It shows a bit of a surprise by his actions proving he did not know it was coming, and Joseph was surprised his brother was killed. If they truly new they were going to be martyred, why was Joseph surprised by the death of his brother?

Some Mormons might say, “Well, he was only defending himself, if so, point out Jesus could have called legions of angels, yet he did not. Jesus never said anything to the people, where Joseph tried to kill and did kill two. If he was a true prophet called by God, then we have a problem. Joseph and Spencer Kimball taught no forgiveness for the murderer. You can really open a talk here.