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Testimonies

Letter For My Wife Rebuttal, Part 8: The Early Church – The Witnesses [A]

March 15, 2023 by Sarah Allen

I have deep respect for all of the Book of Mormon witnesses. The things they went through because of their testimonies are, in parts, both devastating and galvanizing. Putting their names onto those documents truly became a trial by fire. And, as is usually the case with lifelong trials,  sometimes they rose to the occasion and sometimes they didn’t. That makes them relatable and human, but it also makes them inspiring examples that we can follow in our own difficult situations.

Over the past two years, I’ve learned something about standing by your testimony in the face of vicious opposition. Since I first started my CES Letter series, and especially since I put my real name and face to it, I’ve had people attack my intelligence, my character, my writing ability, and my appearance. I’ve had people call my testimony, sincerity, and integrity into question. I recently compiled a list of more than 60 personal insults directed at me on a fairly large LDS-related subreddit that still stand today, despite direct appeals to moderators that I consider friendly acquaintances. I’ve had Jeremy Runnells and John Dehlin sic their followers on me in attempts to flood my social media accounts with abuse. I’ve had people attempt to dox me and publish my private information. I’ve had people call me the vilest names you can think of. I’ve even had someone spit on me because I was willing to stand up for my testimony. [Read more…] about Letter For My Wife Rebuttal, Part 8: The Early Church – The Witnesses [A]

Filed Under: Anti-Mormon critics, Apologetics, Book of Mormon, Faith Crisis, Joseph Smith, LDS History, Revelation, Testimonies Tagged With: Letter For My Wife

The Prison Journal of Belle Harris now available from Church Historians Press

February 23, 2023 by Trevor Holyoak

Yesterday the Church History Department made public the Prison Journal of Belle Harris. Harris spent approximately three months in prison in 1883, along with her baby, for refusing to testify about her plural marriage to her ex-husband, Clarence Merrill, during the time when the federal government was attempting to crack down on the practice of plural marriage in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. While there, she was received visits and support from various leaders such as Eliza R. Snow, Emmeline B. Wells, Presendia Huntington Kimball, Zina Huntington Young, Mary Isabella Hales Horne, Romania Bunnell Pratt, Bathsheba Bigler Smith, George Reynolds, Charles W. Penrose, and A. Milton Musser.

In her journal, Harris is described multiple times as a “plucky” woman, and her personality and faith really come out. Here are a few examples: [Read more…] about The Prison Journal of Belle Harris now available from Church Historians Press

Filed Under: LDS History, Polygamy, Resources, Testimonies, Women

Come, Follow Me Week 52 – Christmas

December 19, 2022 by Trevor Holyoak

Christmas Message, Christmas Prophets, Christmas Joy

by David W. Smith

Jerusalem, 600 BC

The year is approximately 600 BC. The place is Jerusalem. It has been about 20 years since a major religious reform has changed how people worshiped. The prophet Jeremiah has been warning the people of Jerusalem that they need to repent or else watch as their city is destroyed and they are taken into captivity. Many other prophets echo his message. Now, after preaching for over 20 years, he is in prison. [Read more…] about Come, Follow Me Week 52 – Christmas

Filed Under: Bible, Book of Mormon, Come Follow Me, Jesus Christ, Joseph Smith, New Testament, Old Testament, Prophets, Testimonies

Come, Follow Me Week 50 – Haggai; Zechariah 1–3; 7–14

December 8, 2022 by Trevor Holyoak

by Daniel Ortner

There are many powerful prophecies of the events leading up to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. But as someone who comes from a Jewish background one prophecy stands out as particularly vivid and poignant, and that is that one day the people of Israel who did not recognize Jesus as their Messiah and Lord will come to recognize him.

Zechariah describes the moment when the Jewish people will look upon their crucified Lord: [Read more…] about Come, Follow Me Week 50 – Haggai; Zechariah 1–3; 7–14

Filed Under: Bible, Book of Mormon, Come Follow Me, Doctrine and Covenants, Jesus Christ, Old Testament, Prophets, Testimonies

President Joseph F. Smith Speaks of His Revelations and of Testimony vs. Doubt

October 31, 2022 by Trevor Holyoak

(submitted by Dennis B. Horne)

Joseph F. Smith letter to Edith E. Smith, undated (but written later than 1901): [Read more…] about President Joseph F. Smith Speaks of His Revelations and of Testimony vs. Doubt

Filed Under: Jesus Christ, Prophets, Revelation, Testimonies

President Harold B. Lee Testifies about Revelation in Book of Mormon Translation

October 23, 2022 by Trevor Holyoak

by Dennis B. Horne

In late 1973, only two months before he passed away, President Harold B. Lee visited Rick’s College (now BYU-Idaho), where he attended a luncheon and then gave the college devotional address. As President of Rick’s at that time, Henry B. Eyring was present with President Lee and described the events in his journal. These journal notations ended up in his biography, where they portray an unusually intense spiritual outpouring among those present. [Read more…] about President Harold B. Lee Testifies about Revelation in Book of Mormon Translation

Filed Under: Book of Abraham, Book of Mormon, Jesus Christ, Joseph Smith, Prophets, Revelation, Testimonies

“Bamboozled by the ‘CES Letter'” by Michael R. Ash now available on audiobook!

July 14, 2022 by Trevor Holyoak

We are pleased to announce that Michael R. Ash’s book, Bamboozled by the “CES Letter”, is now available in audiobook format from Audible and iTunes!

We’d especially like to thank Derrick Duncan for volunteering his time and talent to narrate it.

The e-book version is still available from the FAIR Bookstore and Amazon.

Filed Under: Anti-Mormon critics, Apologetics, Book of Abraham, Book of Mormon, CES Letter, Doctrine, Faith Crisis, First Vision, Joseph Smith, LDS History, Masonry, Michael R. Ash, News from FAIR, Polygamy, Prophets, Racial Issues, Resources, Science, Temples, Testimonies

Come, Follow Me Week 23 – Judges 2–4; 6–8; 13–16

June 3, 2022 by Trevor Holyoak

https://media.blubrry.com/mormonfaircast/www.fairlatterdaysaints.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/2020-Elder-Kim-B.-Clark.mp3

Podcast: Download (82.9MB)

Subscribe: RSS

Seek the Lord Jesus Christ

By Elder Kim B. Clark

(An address given at the 2020 FAIR Conference)


I am grateful for the opportunity to speak to you today. I am not only grateful to be with you, but I am grateful for all of you who seek to help people strengthen, or recover, or restore, or establish faith in Jesus Christ, and His marvelous work in our day. [Read more…] about Come, Follow Me Week 23 – Judges 2–4; 6–8; 13–16

Filed Under: Bible, Book of Mormon, Come Follow Me, Conversion, Doctrine, Doctrine and Covenants, FAIR Conference, Jesus Christ, New Testament, Old Testament, Podcast, Prophets, Temples, Testimonies

Come, Follow Me Week 22 – Joshua 1–8; 23–24

May 23, 2022 by Trevor Holyoak

https://media.blubrry.com/mormonfaircast/www.fairlatterdaysaints.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/RiseUp-Trying-to-Serve-the-Lord-Without-Offending-the-Devil.mp3

Podcast: Download (30.4MB)

Subscribe: RSS

Trying to Serve the Lord Without Offending the Devil

By Nick Galieti

(Originally published on February 11, 2015 as part of our “Rise Up” podcast for youth)

When it comes to living our lives, we have a lot of choices placed before us. We have our choice of schools to attend after high school, or even a choice of career path. Spiritually speaking, we have a choice to make. When viewing the world around him, even Joshua in the Old Testament dealt with this same question. In Joshua 24:14-15 he was speaking prior to his death and reflecting on the different choices that he made in his life when he recorded this often quoted passage: [Read more…] about Come, Follow Me Week 22 – Joshua 1–8; 23–24

Filed Under: Anti-Mormon critics, Bible, Book of Mormon, Chastity, Come Follow Me, Conversion, Homosexuality, Jesus Christ, Marriage, New Testament, Nick Galieti, Old Testament, Podcast, Priesthood, Prophets, Temples, Testimonies, Youth

Come, Follow Me Week 16 – Easter

April 13, 2022 by Trevor Holyoak

by Scott Gordon

This week, with Easter, we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Currently, 63% of Americans identify as Christian. This is down from 75% just 10 years ago. Those who are religiously unaffiliated, sometimes referred to as “nones,” has risen to almost 30% of the US population. This is an increase of 6% in the past 5 years.[1]

Does Religion Help? [Read more…] about Come, Follow Me Week 16 – Easter

Filed Under: Apostasy, Bible, Book of Mormon, Come Follow Me, Conversion, Doctrine, Doctrine and Covenants, Interfaith Dialogue, Jesus Christ, Joseph Smith, Mental Health, Missionary Work', New Testament, Old Testament, Prophets, Testimonies

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