A Bible! A Bible!

Hey everyone!

So this week: We called a potential ami in our phone who actually answered (surprise) and agreed to set up a RDV with us (bigger surprise). So we got his address, found the street, and got to that street 5 minutes before the time we had set. And then:

Elder Orton: "So what was the house number?"

Elder Stanford: "570."

Elder Orton: "Ok what number are we at?"

*both of us look over*

Elder Stanford: "...crap."

Thus began the epic tale of two missionaries walking down a street, through construction, past the TJs and chapels that date back to the Apostasy, from #3 to #570. Yes, the numbers only went up by 2 with each house. And yes, we were quite late. But this is not the sad part of the story, because the guy and his girlfriend were 20 minutes late to their house, and we were only 18. 

So we get into this RDV and explain things, including the Apostasy, Restoration and Book of Mormon. And we think it's making sense to them...yeah...turns out we were mistaken. And then they pretty much quoted 2 Nephi 29 without even knowing it. 

Here is the account of some of the things they said, and some of the things I would have liked to say back. 

"Wait so...the stories in here...aren't in the Bible?"

No...we know you already have a Bible, why would we give you the same stories?

"All we know is Jesus Christ. We can't accept anything else."

It literally testifies of Christ the whole time and has His name on the cover. 

"So this guy, Mormon, was he one of the 12 disciples? If not then we can't accept."

Was Moses? Doesn't mean he can't write scripture. Wait, I thought you knew the Bible...?

"So why didn't Jesus ever mention Mormon?"

1) Why didn't He ever mention Noah or Paul? 

2) Most of the life of Jesus isn't actually recorded (John 21:25). 

3) He did mention His other sheep that lived elsewhere (John 10:16). 

"Doesn't Revelation say not to add anything else?"

1) John only says not to add anything onto that specific revelation...how was he supposed to know that centuries later his revelation would be put at the end of a book called the Bible?

2) If we were supposed to take that literally, everything after Deuteronomy 4:2 would be false. 

Any more questions?

I'm telling you, we really tried everything. Everything that wasn't impolite to say, that is. Sometimes people just don't understand that they need something other than La Bible. At the end, all we could say was, you've just got to pray about it. I hope that at least that part was understood before we left. 

Face it, world. The Book of Mormon makes sense. You can't prove it wrong -- scientifically, biblically or otherwise. You've just got to pray about it. Pray about it. Either it's true and you should listen to what it says, or it was made up and you won't feel anything when you ask God if it's true. There's really nothing to lose. 

That's my challenge to you: pray and ask God if the Book of Mormon is His word. Even if you already know it's true. Listen to what you feel. Let it improve your life right now and guide you to a much better life after. There's nothing to lose. 

Love you all! Until next week...Elder Stanford, signing off.