Why I joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
Accra Daily Mail
By E.R.K. Dwemoh
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Many are the relatives, friends and acquaintances who have asked me at
one time or the other: "Why did a person like you join the Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?" Usually, I have smiled and mumbled
a few words, or said nothing at all.
Surprisingly, however, I find myself being asked the self-same
question by more and more people, and sometimes, again by those who
have already asked!
To set the minds of those who have asked the question at rest, and
(this may surprise some of you) to quench my own burning desire to go
public with the story of my conversion to Mormonism, let me now place
on record why I am now a Latter-day Saint.
I had gone to visit my daughter in America in 1996 and happened to sit
in on discussions she was having with two young men, who were
missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The
things they said about the family, the love of God for His creatures,
obedience to His commandments, the nature of Godhead, baptism and
other gospel principles and doctrines interested me greatly.
As I listened to these young men more and more, sincerity in them
reached out to engage sincerity in me. Something out of this world
hung in the air - something fresh and sweet and gentle and kind. I
like to believe that God Himself, at that moment, spoke to me through
the young missionaries of the Church who sat before me. And when they
asked me to apply Moroni 10:3-5(in the Book of Mormon) which says,
among other things: "...Ask God if these things are not true,..." I knew
that sincerity was indeed the watchword. They were asking me to ask
God myself, that I might learn from Him directly.
I thought that this was the most noble challenge I had ever been
thrown! I resolved, then, to "ask God" myself although I believed all
that they had said. If I could help it, I was not going to hang my
salvation on sincerity alone. Knowing for myself must override any
other feeling. And it is He who has manifested to me that this Church
is true!
Some of my questioners also add: "Don't you know that there is a
scripture in Revelations (22:18&19) which says that we must not add to
or subtract from the word of God? But here the people are actually
adding to the word of God by introducing to the world the Book of
Mormon! What do you say to that?"
Well, with great respect to all who read this let me shout a reminder
- God did not say in Rev. 22:18&19 that He would not add to His own
words. God rather warned us against man adding to (or subtracting
from) His word. And who said the Book of Mormon was written by men
outside the same context that the Bible was written by men? God
commanded the Prophets of the Bible to write just as He command the
Book of Mormon prophets to write.
And by the way, do we all know that the scriptures about not adding to
or subtracting from the word of God can also be found in Deut.4:2? It
seems to me then that if we attach the same meaning Deut 4:2 as we
attach to Rev.22:18-19, the entire Bible should have ended at Deut.
4:2! It clear then those two scriptures must be looked at in a more
dispassionate way.
As this point, let me quote also 1 Chronicles 29:29 "Now the acts of
David the King, first and last, behold they are written in the book of
Samuel the Seer, and in the book of Nathan the prophet, and in the
book of Gad the Seer." We are told clearly to read the "books" of
Samuel, Nathan and Gad for more information on King David. We "find"
the Book of Samuel in the Bible and presto, we also find more
information on David the King! But although we find repeated actions
of both Nathan and Gad in the Bible (2 Sam7:12; 1 Chro17; 1Kings 1;
1Sam 22; 2Sam24) and find proof that they were "men of God" to whom
God spoke and gave directions, we cannot find anywhere in the Bible
the "books" they were supposed to have written (no doubt, under
directions from God).
And if that were so, which human now (or then) has the "authority" or
"mandate" to say: "The books of Nathan and Gad were not part of the
Jewish canon of scriptures!" Is it not callous for the Bible to whet
our appetites in this way (concerning the "books" of Nathan and Gad)
and then leave us stranded? Is this not a pointer to the fact that
this is not the way it was meant to be? Suddenly, we see it all - long
before any of us now living were even born, those God warned in the
two quotations we have referred to had already begun their work. They
had already even removed whole books from the Scriptures.
The question now is this: Would we call them "scriptures" if the
"books" of Nathan and Gad were to come into possession of Christian
today? And would that not mean that God wants us to have "more" of His
word? (Allow me to say, by the way, that "more of His word" would more
correctly mean "His words that were lost" through the demonic
activities of men) So then, the more gripping question would be: How
can we establish their authenticity? In my considered opinion, this is
where we might listen to the Book of Mormon (for what it is worth).
And the Book of Mormon says "ask God".
And not just that. It also promises that "by the power of the Holy
Ghost, (we) may know the truth of all things!" What knowledge we find
there! What refreshingness! So for those of us who would sincerely
want to know (and not just brush off the testimony of whoever God
might use to bring forth "scripture"- lost or new) we would "ask God."
Only He can reveal to us that what we hold in our hands is
"authentic", true. It does not matter if it is "supposed" to be the
"book" of Gad or Nathan, or a "book" called the Book of Mormon. (By
the way, the books of Gad and Nathan are not the only ones "lost" from
the Bible).
But here comes another question: Are we all aware that the Bible
speaks of the Book of Mormon? It is my testimony to you who read these
words now that the "stick of Ephraim" spoken of in the book of Ezekiel
(37:15&19) is the Book of Mormon. It is my testimony to you also that
"the book" referred to in Isaiah:11,12,18 is again the Book of Mormon.
Note also, please, what verse 24 says. I further testify to you that
I, Edward Richard Kwabena Dwemoh, have learned "wisdom" and "doctrine"
as I have given myself up to the "searching" of the scriptures more
and more.
Horace Mann, a great American educationist once said: "Be ashamed to
die until you have won some victory for humanity." If even one person
out of all those who read this make the effort to "search" those
scriptures I have quoted here and "asked God" for truth to be shown
him (or her) and does this in all sincerity of heart, I have
absolutely no doubt in my mind that "by the power of the Holy Ghost"
that person "may know the truth of all" these things. And I most
certainly would consider that "a victory for mankind!"
http://www.truthandgrace.com/Mormon.htm
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