When I was introduced to the Church of Jesus Christ I found the missing pieces that the scripture refer too but seem silent to complete picture!
Restornu ... I have been a christian for almost 40 years.
I've read all of the scriptures of the Bible and have taught in my church's Sunday School/Bible Study for 25 years.
It is true ... the Bible scriptures will not answer every question you have.
But you have to consider ...
God is our Father.
There are some questions which we don't need to know the answers to.
There are some questions which we wouldn't understand the answers to.
But ... God is faithful ... and everything we need to know ... can be found and understood from the pages of the Bible.
If it's not there ... we don't need to know it.
Just like our parents didn't answer all of our questions, ... but who would always tell us what we need to know.
This is where our faith comes in ... we trust God that He has told us everything we need to know.
The truths of christian belief have been available since the time of Jesus Christ.
Since that time, many have come, saying that they have truth to add to the truth that Jesus Christ brought.
But to believe the claims of these ... one must believe that Jesus Christ did not bring all necessary truth with Hm when He came.
As I mentioned in my first post on this thread ... the teachings that Joseph Smith brought are additions to ... and, in some cases, ... conflict with the truth that Jesus Christ brought.
I listened to just some of the presentations you suggested.
In just 10 minutes of listening, ... I heard many beliefs that are contrary to christian belief.
For instance, Matthews (the presenter) talks about the Heavenly Mother.
But Jesus never mentions anything about a heavenly mother.
Mormons also believe that marriage is eternal.
But Jesus said that there is no marriage in heaven.Luke 20:27 Then came to him certain of the Sadducees, which deny that there is any resurrection; and they asked him,The chrisitian churches of Joseph Smith's days recognized that Joseph Smith's teachings were not the same as those of christianity ... and, so, they refused to allow his teachings to become a part of christian teaching.
28 Saying, Master, Moses wrote unto us, If any man's brother die, having a wife, and he die without children, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.
29 There were therefore seven brethren: and the first took a wife, and died without children.
30 And the second took her to wife, and he died childless.
31 And the third took her; and in like manner the seven also: and they left no children, and died.
32 Last of all the woman died also. 33 Therefore in the resurrection whose wife of them is she? for seven had her to wife.
34 And Jesus answering said unto them, The children of this world marry, and are given in marriage:
35 But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage:
In response to this ... Joseph Smith went on to form his own organization and following.
There is not doubt ... Restornu ... that Mormon belief and true Christian belief are different.
Mormonism claims to answer many questions that Christianity doesn't answer ... but the real question is whether God really wants for us to have the answers to these questions.
I would suggest to you, Restornu, ... that you would stick to the truth that Jesus brought with Him when He came 2000 years ago, and trust that it is enough.
What Joseph Smith brought (1800+ years later) ... is definitely questionable ... and I would keep those teachings at arms length.
Quester it is not Mormonism it is the wisdom of Jesus Christ our Lord Whom preserve His word for his children in latter-days!
***
but the real question is whether God really wants for us to have the answers to these questions.
I really don't think you have read what I have posted to say the Lord did not want his children to have answers to these things is silly!
Matt. 7: 8
8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
Matt. 21: 22
22 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.
Luke 11: 10
10 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
John 9: 15
15 Then again the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. He said unto them, He put clay upon mine eyes, and I washed, and do see.
John 16: 24
24 Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.
James 4: 3
3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.
1 Jn. 3: 22
22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
1 Ne. 15: 11
11 Do ye not remember the things which the Lord hath said?—If ye will not harden your hearts, and ask me in faith, believing that ye shall receive, with diligence in keeping my commandments, surely these things shall be made known unto you.
Enos 1: 15 15 Wherefore, I knowing that the Lord God was able to preserve our records, I cried unto him continually, for he had said unto me: Whatsoever thing ye shall ask in faith, believing that ye shall receive in the name of Christ, ye shall receive it.
I have lived on earth for 61 years and have witness the revision of facts in history I have lived through and your going to try to sell the story that in over 2000 years man has not been tempted to tamper with the word of the Lord!
If you ever searched Irish Histroy non-LDS, they too question how well has the Word of the Lord been preserved...for they too have records that don't align with what the mainstream world is selling!
The Irish have records of Jeremiah the Prophet and the Daughters of King Zedakiah.
As I observed there is an order and a pattern in the ways of the Lord, which the mainstrem world has deviated from order and the pattern!
2 And he said unto them, When ye pray, say,
Our Father which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done,
as in heaven, so in earth.
On earth we have a father and a mother to the son and daughters!
In Heaven you can't have a Father and Sons with out a Mother!
Order and pattern!