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“Abound in Hope” (Stories of the Saints in the DR Congo Part 6)

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Family of Luvualu Mwinza David and Ndotoni Josephine

Author’s note: This series shares six stories about members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Each story is framed in the context of a Christlike attribute. This article with examples of hope is an adapted and expanded from part 6 of a presentation given at the FairMormon 2018 Conference.

This story is fascinating account of joy, but even more so one of hope. Luvualu Mwinza David, a skilled tailor of men’s and women’s clothing, is totally blind in both eyes. The Lord gave Him hope by multiplying his talents, finding a fitting companion, introducing him to the Church, and giving him a firm assurance in the promise of eternal life.

The video version of the entire FairMormon presentation is available on the FairMormon YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJl9FvLKmjw

The article relating to this story can be found at the Interpreter Foundation website: “Abound in Hope” — Stories of the Saints in the DR Congo, Part 6

If you would like to watch the other presentations from the 2018 FairMormon Conference, you can still purchase video streaming.

“Continue in Humility” (Stories of the Saints in the DR Congo Part 5)

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Norman Kamosi

Author’s note: This series shares six stories about members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Each story is framed in the context of a Christlike attribute. This article with examples of humility is an adapted and expanded from part 5 of a presentation given at the FairMormon 2018 Conference.

As I think about the many steps, each one small but necessary, that have been required to prepare the Church in the DR Congo for a temple, I remember the scripture: “Out of small things proceedeth that which is great.”

The story of Norman and Jinky Kamosi describes one of those steps, made possible by events that the Lord had put in motion decades beforehand.

The video version of the entire FairMormon presentation is available on the FairMormon YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJl9FvLKmjw

The article relating to this story can be found at the Interpreter Foundation website: “Continue in Humility” — Stories of the Saints in the DR Congo, Part 5

If you would like to watch the other presentations from the 2018 FairMormon Conference, you can still purchase video streaming.

Some 2018 FairMormon Conference Transcripts Now Available

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Our volunteers have been very busy transcribing the presentations from the conference held in August. The following transcripts are now available:

The transcripts for the remaining presentations will be posted here when they are available.

You can also still order the video streaming so you can watch the presentations on your computer, mobile device, or Roku.

FairMormon Conference Podcast #15 – Scott Gordon, “Mormon Temples and Freemasonry”

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Podcast: Download (84.9MB)

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This podcast series features past FairMormon Conference presentations. This episode is a presentation from 2017. If you would like to watch the presentations from the conference we had earlier this year, you can still purchase video streaming.

Scott Gordon, Mormon Temples and Freemasonry

Transcript available here.

Scott Gordon is president of FairMormon and as such has been a writer of several articles and a speaker at firesides. He has a master’s degree in Business Administration from Brigham Young University with a bachelor’s in Organizational Communication. He has held many Church callings, including Bishop, and currently serves as the Ward Mission Leader. He is married to Sheri Farnsworth Gordon and has five children.

Audio and Video Copyright © 2017 The Foundation for Apologetic Information and Research, Inc. Any reproduction or transcription of this material without prior express written permission is prohibited.

How Might We Interpret the Dense Temple-Related Symbolism of the Prophet’s Heavenly Vision in Isaiah 6? (Gospel Doctrine Lesson 36A)

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Benjamin West: Isaiah’s lips purified

An Old Testament KnoWhy relating to the reading assignment for Gospel Doctrine Lesson 36: “The Glory of Zion Will Be a Defense” (Isaiah 1-6) (JBOTL36A)

Question: The short heavenly vision of Isaiah 6 is almost as difficult to understand as the entire book of Revelation. How might we interpret its symbolism?

Summary:Isaiah 6 is important for two reasons: 1. Historically, it gives us insight into the prophet’s divine commission, received near the beginning of his ministry; 2. Doctrinally, it provides valuable insights into the commissioning of other prophets and individuals who received similar visions. Much of what makes Isaiah’s vision — as well as his prophecies — difficult to understand is his rich poetic imagery, which is often grounded in temple symbolism. This article provides a detailed commentary on Isaiah 6, focused largely on these temple themes. Though none of the temple-related insights are exclusive to Latter-day Saints, their general familiarity with temple doctrines and practices make this chapter more accessible to them than to many other Christians.

The full article may be found at the Interpreter Foundation website: ypKnoWhy OTL36A — How Might We Interpret the Dense Temple-Related Symbolism of the Prophet’s Heavenly Vision in Isaiah 6?

What New Archaeological Discoveries in Jerusalem Relate to Hezekiah? (Gospel Doctrine Lesson 30A)

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Shukron in room with markings

An Old Testament KnoWhy relating to the reading assignment for Gospel Doctrine Lesson 30: “Come to the House of the Lord” (2 Chronicles 29-30; 32; 34) (JBOTL30A)

Question: Hezekiah is known as being, after David, the greatest king in Israelite times. Are there any archaeological remains of his reign in Jerusalem?

Summary:Recent discoveries at the Ophel and Gihon Spring sites relating to Hezekiah are providing new insights into the history of ancient Jerusalem and its temple.

The full article may be found at the Interpreter Foundation website: KnoWhy OTL30A — What New Archaeological Discoveries in Jerusalem Relate to Hezekiah?

“With All Diligence” (Stories of the Saints in the DR Congo Part 4)

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Author’s note: This series shares six stories about members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Each story is framed in the context of a Christlike attribute. This article with examples of diligence in family history work is an adapted and expanded from part 4 of a presentation given at the FairMormon 2018 Conference.

Family history work in places like the DR Congo calls for a particular kind of diligence. This story illustrates the quiet work the institutional Church and the local Saints are doing on an impressively large scale to preserve vanishing family records.

The video version of the entire FairMormon presentation is available on the FairMormon YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJl9FvLKmjw

The article relating to this story can be found at the Interpreter Foundation website: “With All Diligence” — Stories of the Saints in the DR Congo, Part 4

If you would like to watch the other presentations from the 2018 FairMormon Conference, you can still purchase video streaming.

Jaxon Washburn – Interfaith Work, and Being called on a Mission

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Podcast: Download (49.6MB)

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Jaxon Washburn is a remarkable young man that has done a great deal of outreach work as part of being on interfaith councils, and other organizations that support religious practice. His story is unusual in that, while Jaxon was raised for the first 12 years in what he describes as a traditional Latter-day Saint household, following his mother’s decision to leave the Church, he began to live a sort of double religious life studying and experiencing two different faith traditions on a regular basis.

Jaxon also shares how previous FairMormon Podcasts were instrumental in helping him to navigate his faith crisis and come to a testimony of the truth claims of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Having faithful and scholarly answers to critical questions provided him with a path through his questions, and have answers where anti-mormon literature was suffocating and depressing.

This unique experience led Jaxon to study many of the worlds religions, and, like Joseph Smith, found himself with the designs of finding out which of all the sects was the one God wanted him to align himself. Through considerable study, including listening to some past podcasts by host Nick Galieti for the FairMormon organization, Jaxon felt that he had gained a testimony of the truthfulness of the Restored Gospel, of its claims to prophetic leadership and the validity of the Book of Mormon as Scripture.

Arizona Interfaith Council - Jaxon Washburn
Some members of the Arizona Interfaith Council – including Jaxon Washburn

Jaxon came to the decision to place on hold his religious studies path in the halls of higher learning to serve a mission. In this episode he announces where he has been called, as well as some of the pilot program that he is involved with regarding language learning through the MTC. This episode features an powerful story of love, the importance of study in coming to a conversion, as well as the remarkable ways that life experience can guide us in the path that leads us back to our Heavenly Father.

Jaxon on the World Religion and Tolerance Club
Jaxon (and other students) in the World Religion and Tolerance Club

To learn more about the mission where Jaxon will be serving his mission – click here.

“Obey … With Exactness” (Stories of the Saints in the DR Congo Part 3)

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Author’s note: This series shares six stories about members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Each story is framed in the context of a Christlike attribute. This article with examples of obedience is an adapted and expanded from part 3 of a presentation given at the FairMormon 2018 Conference.

The Congolese saints are on the whole a faithful and obedient people. This is epitomized in the fact that, according to Elder Joni Koch, the DR Congo Kinshasa mission is not only among the fastest growing in the world, but also has the highest rate of sacrament meeting attendance — double the percentage of a typical stake in the United States. Quiet evidence of this faithfulness and devotion is to be found everywhere.

The video version of the entire FairMormon presentation is available on the FairMormon YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJl9FvLKmjw

The article relating to this story can be found at the Interpreter Foundation website: “Obey … With Exactness” — Stories of the Saints in the DR Congo, Part 3

If you would like to watch the other presentations from the 2018 FairMormon Conference, you can still purchase video streaming.

Book Review: Saints: The Story of the Church of Jesus Christ in the Latter Days, Volume 1: The Standard of Truth 1815-1846

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Available from the FairMormon bookstore

One of the tactics that critics have used recently to try to destroy faith is to describe a lesser known event in church history in a way that is intended to shock the reader. By sensationalizing and removing it from its context, and often even misrepresenting what actually happened, the victim is left feeling betrayed by the Church, thinking they have been lied to or that the Church has been hiding or whitewashing its history. Sadly, much of this history has been available (though perhaps not readily accessible), but not emphasized in the curriculum that is taught, requiring independent study, which has not been happening as much in recent generations.

The Church has recognized this problem and is producing a solution. The first volume of a projected four-volume series has now been published in 14 languages and is available in paperback and e-book, as well as online text and audiobook formats. It is written in an easy to understand style, which although entirely factual, draws you in like a novel. This was done intentionally by having literary writers on the project, not just historians. For those who want more information, there are extensive footnotes that point you to online resources, including both in-depth essays and videos, as well as original documents from the Joseph Smith Papers.

The book begins with a message from the First Presidency and a preface explaining the purpose of the series. The body of the book continues, contained in four parts, which are broken up by historic periods. There are also maps, but no other illustrations beyond the small ornaments at the head of each chapter. The back of the book has Notes, a Note on Sources, Sources Cited, Acknowledgements, and a fairly good 15-page Index.

The first volume covers the period preceding the First Vision up to two years after the death of Joseph Smith, when the Saints were able to receive the endowment in the Nauvoo Temple. It covers nearly every criticism and puts them in their proper context, where they can be more easily understood. It concentrates on telling stories of the actual men and women involved, rather than just the institutional church, as previous official histories produced by the Church have done. The result is a detailed history of the Church that includes the sensitive issues while building faith, which already has some critics worried that their work will become irrelevant.

An example is the story of how the Word of Wisdom was received: [Read more…] about Book Review: Saints: The Story of the Church of Jesus Christ in the Latter Days, Volume 1: The Standard of Truth 1815-1846