Family ambushed in Mexico linked to triple-homicide in Houston 31 years ago

KPRC ^ | 11/15/19 | Phil Archer

[Meatspace]

HOUSTON - A fundamentalist Mormon community in Mexico is linked to a triple-homicide that happened in Houston more than three decades ago.

Two brothers and an 8-year-old girl were killed execution-style on June 27, 1988, and investigators would eventually learn the killings were “blood atonement” for their sin of leaving a polygamous, Mormon cult called “The Church of the Lamb of God.”

The church, populated primarily of family members, was founded by Ervil LeBaron, a descendant of Mormons who split with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and immigrated to Mexico in the early 20th century to continue the practice of Under LeBaron’s leadership, the church became a criminal enterprise.

“Stolen cars, they were heavy into credit card abuse, forgery, they’d also done a couple of bank robberies,” said retired Houston police officer Richard Holland who investigated the murders.

[Elsie]

(Didja see anything about Coke® in there?)

[Elsie]

 

 

 

 

 

What's for dinner?

 

D&C 49:18-19  18 And whoso forbiddeth to abstain from meats, that man should not eat the same, is not ordained of God; 19 For, behold, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the air, and that which cometh of the earth, is ordained for the use of man for food and for raiment, and that he might have in abundance.

D&C 89:12-13  12 Yea, flesh also of beasts and of the fowls of the air, I, the Lord, have ordained for the use of man with thanksgiving; nevertheless they are to be used sparingly; 13 And it is pleasing unto me that they should not be used, only in times of winter, or of cold, or famine.

 

 

 

It must be tough; being a Mormon.   Having to face Scripture that state two oppossing ideas and somehow managing to believe BOTH of them!  It's no WONDER that Utah leads in Prozac usage!

 

 

 

[Elsie]

The Doctrine and Covenants

Section 49

Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet to Sidney Rigdon, Parley P. Pratt, and Leman Copley, at Kirtland, Ohio, May 7, 1831. Leman Copley had embraced the gospel but still held to some of the teachings of the Shakers (United Society of Believers in Christ’s Second Appearing), to which he had formerly belonged. Some of the beliefs of the Shakers were that Christ’s Second Coming had already occurred and that He had appeared in the form of a woman, Ann Lee. They did not consider baptism by water essential. They rejected marriage and believed in a life of total celibacy. Some Shakers also forbade the eating of meat. In prefacing this revelation, Joseph Smith’s history states, 

1–7, The day and hour of Christ’s coming will remain unknown until He comes;  

 

 

 1 Hearken unto my word, my servants Sidney, and Parley, and Leman; for behold, verily I say unto you, that I give unto you a commandment that you shall go and ^apreach my gospel which ye have received, even as ye have received it, unto the Shakers.

 2 Behold, I say unto you, that they desire to know the truth in part, but not all, for they are not ^aright before me and must needs repent.

 3 Wherefore, I send you, my servants Sidney and Parley, to preach the gospel unto them.

 4 And my servant Leman shall be ordained unto this work, that he may reason with them, not according to that which he has received of them, but according to that which shall be ^ataught him by you my servants; and by so doing I will bless him, otherwise he shall not prosper.

 5 Thus saith the Lord; for I am God, and have ^asent mine ^bOnly Begotten Son into the world for the ^credemption of the world, and have decreed that he that receiveth him shall be saved, and he that receiveth him not shall be ^ddamned—

 6 And they have done unto the ^aSon of Man even as they listed; and he has taken his power on the ^bright hand of his ^cglory, and now reigneth in the heavens, and will reign till he descends on the earth to put all enemies ^dunder his feet, which time is nigh at hand—

 7 I, the Lord God, have spoken it; but the hour and the ^aday no man knoweth, neither the angels in heaven, nor shall they know until he comes.

 

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And yet the Mormons believe...

[Elsie]

Numerous changes to the first edition of the Book of Mormon were made in the 2nd edition in 1837.
LDS leaders teach current members that only punctuation and grammar corrections were made.
 
But of the nearly 4,000 alterations, some of them had to do with Joseph's evolving belief about the nature of God.
Notice how these verses changed from Jesus-was-God-the-Father, to Jesus-is-the-Son-of-God-and-not-the-Father.  Investigators believe that the evidence clearly shows that Joseph changed his belief that God the Father and Jesus Christ were one being,
to the belief that they were two beings.

Then, he then revised the Book of Mormon in 1837 to support his new idea.

 

Original 1830 Text		Current, Altered Text Link is here. (Highlighted portion)
1 Nephi 3, p. 25* And he said unto me, Behold, the virgin whom thou seest is the mother of God, after the manner of the flesh * The 1830 text did not have verse divisions.		1 Nephi 11:18 And he said unto me, Behold, the virgin whom thou seest is the mother of the Son of God.
1 Nephi 3, p. 25 And the angel said unto me, behold the Lamb of God, even the Eternal Father!		1 Nephi 11:21 And the angel said unto me, behold the Lamb of God, even the Son of the Eternal Father!
1 Nephi 3, p. 26 And I looked and beheld the Lamb of God, that he was taken by the people; yea, the Everlasting God, was judged of the world.		1 Nephi 11:32 And I looked and beheld the Lamb of God, that he was taken by the people; yea, the Son of the Everlasting God, was judged of the world.
1 Nephi 3, p. 32 These last records…shall make known to all kindreds, tongues, and people, that the Lamb of God is the Eternal Father and the Savior of the world.		1 Nephi 13:40 These last records ...shall make known to all kindreds, tongues, and people, that the Lamb of God is the Son of the Eternal Father and the Savior of the world.

 

 

[Elsie]

https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/book-of-mormon-1830/31

[Elsie]

 

 

To the Reader—

As many false reports have been circulated respecting the following work, and also many unlawful measures taken by evil designing persons to destroy me, and also the work, I would inform you that I translated, by the gift and power of God, and caused to be written, one hundred and sixteen pages, the which I took from the Book of Lehi, which was an account abridged from the plates of Lehi, by the hand of Mormon; which said account, some person or persons have stolen and kept from me, notwithstanding my utmost exertions to recover it again—and being commanded of the Lord that I should not translate the same over again, for Satan had put it into their hearts to tempt the Lord their God, by altering the words, that they did read contrary from that which I translated and caused to be written; and if I should bring forth the same words again, or, in other words, if I should translate the same over again, they would publish that which they had stolen, and Satan would stir up the hearts of this generation, that they might not receive this work: but behold, the Lord said unto me, I will not suffer that Satan shall accomplish his evil design in this thing: therefore thou shalt translate from the plates of Nephi, until ye come to that which ye have translated, which ye have retained; and [p. [iii]] behold ye shall publish it as the record of Nephi; and thus I will confound those who have altered my words. I will not suffer that they shall destroy my work; yea, I will shew unto them that my wisdom is greater than the cunning of the Devil. Wherefore, to be obedient unto the commandments of God, I have, through his grace and mercy, accomplished that which he hath commanded me respecting this thing. I would also inform you that the plates of which hath been spoken, were found in the township of Manchester, Ontario county, New-York.

The Author. [p. iv]

 

 

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Didja ever wonder what was in those 116 pages?

'Tis a confounding conundrum; ain't it!              

[fproy2222]

You have been elisied

[SkyDancer]

What is “The Church”?

[teppe]

There is no such thing as a ‘real mormon’ ....

......are you referring to a member of the ‘Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints’?

[Elsie]

......are you referring to a member of the ‘Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints’?

Is this another sect??

I was referring to a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

[Elsie]

There is no such thing as a ‘real mormon’ ....

Sorry; but SLC seems to think that there is, and has gone to great lengths to say so.

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Media Letter   

26 June 2008 — Salt Lake City  (http://newsroom.lds.org/additional-resource/media-letter)

*The following is a letter from Elder Lance B. Wickman, General Counsel of the Church to publishers of major newspapers, TV stations and magazines. It was sent out on Tuesday, June 24, 2008.

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Recent events have focused the media spotlight on a polygamous sect near San Angelo, Texas, calling itself the “Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.” As you probably know, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has absolutely no affiliation with this polygamous sect. Decades ago, the founders of that sect rejected the doctrines of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, were excommunicated, and then started their own religion. To the best of our knowledge, no one at the Texas compound has ever been a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Unfortunately, however, some of the media coverage of the recent events in Texas has caused members of the public to confuse the doctrines and members of that group and our church. We have received numerous inquiries from confused members of the public who, by listening to less than careful media reports, have come to a grave misunderstanding about our respective doctrines and faith. Based on these media reports many have erroneously concluded that there is some affiliation between the two – or even worse, that they are one and the same.

Over the years, in a careful effort to distinguish itself, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has gone to significant lengths to protect its rights in the name of the church and related matters. Specifically, we have obtained registrations for the name “The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,” “Mormon,” “Book of Mormon” and related trade and service marks from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and corresponding agencies in a significant number of foreign countries.

We are confident that you are committed to avoiding misleading statements that cause unwarranted confusion and that may disparage or infringe the intellectual property rights discussed above. Accordingly, we respectfully request the following:

1. As reflected in the AP Style Guide, we ask that you and your organization refrain from referring to members of that polygamous sect as “fundamentalist Mormons” or “fundamentalist” members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
2. We ask that, when reporting about this Texas-based polygamous sect or any other polygamous group, you avoid either explicitly or implicitly any inference that these groups are affiliated with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
3. On those occasions when it may be necessary in your reporting to refer to the historical practice of plural marriage in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, that you make very clear that the Church does not condone the practice of polygamy and that it has been forbidden in the Church for over one hundred years. Moreover, we absolutely condemn arranged or forced “marriages” of underage girls to anyone under any circumstances.

Stated simply, we would like to be known and recognized for whom we are and what we believe, and not be inaccurately associated with beliefs and practices that we condemn in the strongest terms. We would be grateful if you could circulate or copy this letter to your editorial staff and to your legal counsel.

We thank you for your consideration of these important matters.

Sincerely,

Lance B. Wickman

General Counsel

[Elsie]

We are confident that you are committed to avoiding misleading statements that cause unwarranted confusion …

[Elsie]

Didja notice how fproy2222 will totally ignore problems in Mormonism?

#65

[Elsie]

If you fail to get an answer; perhaps THIS will help.

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Mormonism claims itself to uniquely be "the Church" claims a unique and authoritative priesthood, thereby denying the royal priesthood of all believers adds to the Holy Bible (with the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants and Pearl of Great Price) accepts multiple satanic visions as being from God undermines the power of Jesus' blood by its view of personal suffering for the expiation of sins sings praise songs about Joseph Smith, Jr. has strange doctrines regarding marriage (polygamy accepted in early days) believes in God the mother (who has conceived multitudes of spirit children) claims the head of their group speaks infallibly at times redefines "saint" to mean a living, breathing Mormon, instead of a bible-defined child of God accepts and spreads "another gospel" (Gal. 1:8,9)- good works, water baptism and church membership professes itself as Christian; Jesus as God, Savior, Lord and Son of God; Jesus' atoning death and resurrection doctrines are sending millions to Hell and they need to be openly refuted with Scripture

Catholicism claims itself to uniquely be "the Church" claims a unique and authoritative priesthood, thereby denying the royal priesthood of all believers adds to the Holy Bible (with sacred tradition) accepts multiple apparitional visions as being from God's Mother undermines the power of Jesus' blood by its view of personal suffering for the expiation of sins sings praise songs about Mary has strange doctrines regarding marriage (celibacy still practiced among its clergy) believes in the mother of God (who is the sinless Queen of Heaven) claims the head of their group speaks infallibly at times redefines "saint" to mean a physically dead Catholic who was afterwards "canonized," instead of a bible-defined child of God accepts and spreads "another gospel" (Gal. 1:8,9) - good works, the sacraments, Mary and church membership professes itself as Christian; Jesus as God, Savior, Lord and Son of God; Jesus' atoning death and resurrection doctrines are sending hundreds of millions to Hell and they need to be openly refuted with Scripture teaches and practices bowing before and kissing statues WORSHIPS the consecrated communion wafer as God claims Mary is their life, sweetness, hope and most gracious advocate (as revealed in the Rosary) claims Mary was raised bodily into Heaven claims they get to Jesus by first going to Mary

http://www.evangelicaloutreach.org/catholicmormon.htm

[fproy2222]

You seem to think there is a problem when Heavenly Father has us fix mistakes.

It is you that has the problem.

Since your god does not correct you by reveluation any longer you can only follow learned men with a science of words called hermeneutics to understand what God says to you.

[SkyDancer]

I’ve already been on the Golden Plates thing and Mormonism tore huge chunks of the KJV to add to the BOM. Mormonism is a fake Christian religion; and I’m not Catholic but Messianic Jewish.

[Elsie]

You seem to think there is a problem when Heavenly Father has us fix mistakes.

Most folks would think a problem occurred when the 'mistake' was made that NEEDED being corrected later:

"Now the way he translated was he put the urim and thummim into his hat and Darkned his Eyes than he would take a sentance and it would apper in Brite Roman Letters. Then he would tell the writer and he would write it. Then that would go away the next sentance would Come and so on. But if it was not Spelt rite it would not go away till it was rite, so we see it was marvelous. Thus was the hol [whole] translated."

---Joseph Knight's journal.

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"In writing for your father I frequently wrote day after day, often sitting at the table close by him, he sitting with his face buried in his hat, with the stone in it, and dictating hour after hour with nothing between us."
(History of the RLDS Church, 8 vols.

(Independence, Missouri: Herald House,1951),

"Last Testimony of Sister Emma [Smith Bidamon]," 3:356.

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"I, as well as all of my father's family, Smith's wife, Oliver Cowdery and Martin Harris, were present during the translation. . . . He [Joseph Smith] did not use the plates in translation."
---(David Whitmer,

as published in the "Kansas City Journal," June 5, 1881,

and reprinted in the RLDS "Journal of History", vol. 8, (1910), pp. 299-300.

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In an 1885 interview, Zenas H. Gurley, then the editor of the RLDS Saints Herald, asked Whitmer if Joseph had used his "Peep stone" to do the translation. Whitmer replied:

"... he used a stone called a "Seers stone," the "Interpreters" having been taken away from him because of transgression. The "Interpreters" were taken from Joseph after he allowed Martin Harris to carry away the 116 pages of Ms [manuscript] of the Book of Mormon as a punishment, but he was allowed to go on and translate by use of a "Seers stone" which he had, and which he placed in a hat into which he buried his face, stating to me and others that the original character appeared upon parchment and under it the translation in English."

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"Martin Harris related an incident that occurred during the time that he wrote that portion of the translation of the Book of Mormon which he was favored to write direct from the mouth of the Prophet Joseph Smith. He said that the Prophet possessed a seer stone, by which he was enabled to translate as well as from the Urim and Thummim, and for convenience he then used the seer stone, Martin explained the translation as follows: By aid of the seer stone, sentences would appear and were read by the Prophet and written by Martin and when finished he would say 'Written,' and if correctly written that sentence would disappear and another appear in its place, but if not written correctly it remained until corrected, so that the translation was just as it was engraven on the plates, precisely in the language then used."
(Edward Stevenson, "One of the Three Witnesses,"

reprinted from Deseret News, 30 Nov. 1881

in Millennial Star, 44 (6 Feb. 1882): 86-87.)

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In 1879, Michael Morse, Emma Smith's brother-in-law, stated:

 

 "When Joseph was translating the Book of Mormon [I] had occasion more than once to go into his immediate presence, and saw him engaged at his work of translation. The mode of procedure consisted in Joseph's placing the Seer Stone in the crown of a hat, then putting his face into the hat, so as to entirely cover his face, resting his elbows upon his knees, and then dictating word after word, while the scribes Emma, John Whitmer, O. Cowdery, or some other wrote it down."
(W.W. Blair interview with Michael Morse,

Saints Herald, vol. 26, no. 12

June 15, 1879,  pp. 190-91.)

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Joseph Smith's brother William also testified to the "face in the hat" version:

 

"The manner in which this was done was by looking into the Urim and Thummim, which was placed in a hat to exclude the light, (the plates lying near by covered up), and reading off the translation, which appeared in the stone by the power of God"

("A New Witness for Christ in America,"

Francis W. Kirkham, 2:417.)

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"The manner in which he pretended to read and interpret was the same manner as when he looked for the money-diggers, with the stone in his hat, while the book of plates were at the same time hid in the woods."

---Isaac Hale (Emma Smith's father's) affidavit, 1834.

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[Elsie]

It is you that has the problem.

I see...

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“I told the brethren that the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book.” (History of the Church, 4:461.)

-- Joseph Smith

 

 

[fproy2222]

So???

[Elsie]

It is you that has the problem.

HMMMmmm…

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The MOST correct book??

 

 

Just some of the 3000+ changes...

Mosiah 21:28
Original 1830 - "...king Benjamin had a gift from God, whereby he could interpret such engravings;..."
1964 change- "...king Mosiah had a gift from God, whereby he could interpret such engravings;..."

3 Nephi 22:4
1830 -"...for thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy widowhood any more."
1981- "...for thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy widowhood any more."

I Nephi 12:18
1830 - ...yea, even the word of the justice of the Eternal God, and Jesus Christ, which is the Lamb of God... (historical note- Jesus Christ was not revealed to the Nephites until II Nephi 10:3.)
1981 - yea, even the word of the justice of the Eternal God, and Messiah which is the Lamb of God...