The Real and the Unreal in Perfect Contrast

I very much enjoy the crop of Anti-Mormons who attend General Conference now. Their carnival-style barking, their unkind and unscriptural messages, their distortions and out-right lies about many points of LDS doctrine, and especially the spirit they create before Conference goers enter the Conference Center are all doing something the missionaries on Temple Square could only dream about: Creating the perfect contrast between the fallen doctrines of those the Church tries to help, and the Spirit of God within the institution of the LDS Church.

During the Sunday afternoon session of General Conference, Elder Oaks introduced his inspired remarks by comparing his assignment to that which Jacob had received from the Lord, noting he was similarly tasked. We sometimes forget there are 15 prophets, seers and revelators who lead our great Church. Their inspiration from our Heavenly Father through His Spirit cuts to the heart of the humble like the Bread of Life and the Living Waters, edifying and building. Their messages, as well as the other Conference talks, are spiritual nourishment for the next 6-months and beyond. Timely, topical help, I am grateful for their messages. They know whereof they speak (Alma 5:45-48).

The contrast between the confused, misled or just plain un-Christian street preachers and the LDS leadership is so clear, no one can miss the contrast. One of the anti-Mormons I spoke with, while he waived a pair of LDS garments, commented that no one converted to his point of view from his efforts, he simply saw himself as one who plants seeds. Like all the deceived, they don't realize that even the evil they blindly do leads people to God's only true and living Church, His Gospel and the Holy Ghost. Keep planting those seeds. If we were to stage such a scene in a movie, we would be criticised for being way too over the top, because no group could be so blind to see how they actually work to promote the cause they are attacking. And so it goes.

Although I would love for no anti-Mormons to be there, the ones we got are far better than the stealthy snakes we previously saw regularly. Just six more months until my next shot at the carnival.

Peace