1 00:00:02,720 --> 00:00:05,920 Speaker 1: Life Audio Neil Walt, thanks for meeting with me. 2 00:00:06,080 --> 00:00:06,480 Speaker 2: Thank you. 3 00:00:06,680 --> 00:00:07,240 Speaker 3: This is a treat. 4 00:00:07,320 --> 00:00:11,799 Speaker 1: So we're here in a Mormon ward in San Diego, 5 00:00:11,840 --> 00:00:14,760 Speaker 1: but you're the stake president. Can you tell us what 6 00:00:14,800 --> 00:00:15,280 Speaker 1: that means? 7 00:00:15,840 --> 00:00:18,240 Speaker 4: So, as a state president of the Church of Jesus 8 00:00:18,320 --> 00:00:22,119 Speaker 4: Christ of Latter day Saints, we are local church leaders. 9 00:00:22,160 --> 00:00:27,920 Speaker 4: We are laid leaders. There's no financial compensation for a 10 00:00:27,960 --> 00:00:31,640 Speaker 4: state president or for a bishop of a local congregation. 11 00:00:32,479 --> 00:00:36,920 Speaker 4: And simply as a state president, I have two counselors, 12 00:00:37,680 --> 00:00:44,800 Speaker 4: and we train, and we teach, and we give speeches, 13 00:00:44,880 --> 00:00:49,479 Speaker 4: and we interview the local members over nine congregations in 14 00:00:49,560 --> 00:00:51,120 Speaker 4: a specific geographic area. 15 00:00:51,720 --> 00:00:54,480 Speaker 1: Have you ever had a Christian apologist like myself show 16 00:00:54,560 --> 00:00:56,760 Speaker 1: up and say, I've got my film crew, I want 17 00:00:56,800 --> 00:00:58,080 Speaker 1: to interview ask you questions. 18 00:00:58,200 --> 00:00:58,960 Speaker 2: Ords this the first? 19 00:00:59,120 --> 00:01:02,480 Speaker 1: This is a first, okay, So what do you expect? 20 00:01:02,480 --> 00:01:04,400 Speaker 1: Were you nervous like with this apologist is going to 21 00:01:04,440 --> 00:01:07,479 Speaker 1: grill me? Like, what was your expectation coming into this? 22 00:01:07,959 --> 00:01:12,720 Speaker 4: I first had a look up what apologetic is. Okay, 23 00:01:13,080 --> 00:01:18,119 Speaker 4: I have been accused of that, and I love what 24 00:01:18,200 --> 00:01:20,640 Speaker 4: I know to be true, and I believe what I 25 00:01:20,680 --> 00:01:23,000 Speaker 4: know to be true, and so I try to stick 26 00:01:23,040 --> 00:01:26,399 Speaker 4: by that and but no, I'm grateful to be here 27 00:01:26,440 --> 00:01:29,160 Speaker 4: and talk about Christ and answer your questions. 28 00:01:29,360 --> 00:01:32,760 Speaker 1: So you're not paid, you're not formally trained like with 29 00:01:32,920 --> 00:01:36,080 Speaker 1: theology or with the degree or your undergrad degree. 30 00:01:36,319 --> 00:01:37,440 Speaker 3: You just learn grown up. 31 00:01:37,440 --> 00:01:41,360 Speaker 1: Of course, you went to seminary mornings to learn what 32 00:01:41,400 --> 00:01:44,479 Speaker 1: you believe, but there's no formal training that you have. 33 00:01:45,200 --> 00:01:46,160 Speaker 2: To be in this position. 34 00:01:46,360 --> 00:01:48,720 Speaker 4: From my age, back in the day, seminary with six am, 35 00:01:48,880 --> 00:01:50,720 Speaker 4: our children are sought. 36 00:01:50,560 --> 00:01:51,520 Speaker 2: Because at seven am. 37 00:01:51,640 --> 00:01:54,320 Speaker 4: Now for those kids, so seminary is high school age 38 00:01:55,120 --> 00:01:59,160 Speaker 4: five days a week and learning from the scriptures. And 39 00:01:59,200 --> 00:02:02,400 Speaker 4: then when you go to Calle there's what's called institute. 40 00:02:02,440 --> 00:02:06,120 Speaker 4: So it's the same program that they have at all 41 00:02:06,120 --> 00:02:09,840 Speaker 4: the universities. Most of the universities have institute for those kids. 42 00:02:09,960 --> 00:02:13,960 Speaker 1: So I actually went one morning to seminary at the 43 00:02:14,000 --> 00:02:17,240 Speaker 1: local Mormon ward because I stayed over the night with 44 00:02:17,280 --> 00:02:19,600 Speaker 1: my friend. He's like, we're getting up at five, and 45 00:02:19,639 --> 00:02:21,679 Speaker 1: that morning it was the first time I was introduced 46 00:02:21,680 --> 00:02:22,720 Speaker 1: to the Book of Abraham. 47 00:02:22,800 --> 00:02:24,840 Speaker 3: I was like, wait a minute, I had. 48 00:02:24,760 --> 00:02:27,320 Speaker 1: Never heard this before. Super fascinating. But I went one 49 00:02:27,360 --> 00:02:30,280 Speaker 1: time at five in the morning and actually experienced that. 50 00:02:30,960 --> 00:02:35,519 Speaker 1: Now that's a separate issue. You mentioned you have five kids. 51 00:02:36,160 --> 00:02:37,360 Speaker 1: You've been married how long? 52 00:02:37,800 --> 00:02:39,080 Speaker 2: Almost thirty five years? 53 00:02:39,440 --> 00:02:42,280 Speaker 3: Almost thirty five years. Your bride's in the audu. 54 00:02:42,200 --> 00:02:45,320 Speaker 1: Right, thirty five she said almost. 55 00:02:45,680 --> 00:02:50,040 Speaker 3: I love that she's like close enough. That's awesome. 56 00:02:50,080 --> 00:02:52,400 Speaker 1: Now beforehand, I hope it's okay if we jump into this. 57 00:02:52,919 --> 00:02:55,600 Speaker 1: You mentioned that fourteen years ago you had a daughter. 58 00:02:55,720 --> 00:02:58,359 Speaker 1: I think she was four and she passed away as 59 00:02:58,400 --> 00:02:59,160 Speaker 1: a brain tumor. 60 00:02:59,320 --> 00:02:59,680 Speaker 2: Correct. 61 00:03:00,200 --> 00:03:02,880 Speaker 3: First off, super sorry to hear about that. 62 00:03:02,960 --> 00:03:03,280 Speaker 2: Thank you. 63 00:03:03,840 --> 00:03:06,600 Speaker 1: I teach a class to my apologetics. We have a 64 00:03:06,720 --> 00:03:09,120 Speaker 1: master's and apologetics. People come yet and I teach a 65 00:03:09,160 --> 00:03:11,280 Speaker 1: class Why does God allow evil? And we talk about 66 00:03:11,280 --> 00:03:14,239 Speaker 1: evil and suffering? And of course as a Christian, I 67 00:03:14,280 --> 00:03:17,840 Speaker 1: have a certain way I look at this theologically, biblically, etc. 68 00:03:18,800 --> 00:03:20,720 Speaker 3: But how did you process that? 69 00:03:21,400 --> 00:03:23,919 Speaker 1: And when somebody from the outside is like, wait a minute, 70 00:03:23,960 --> 00:03:26,240 Speaker 1: if your God is good, why would he allow you 71 00:03:26,320 --> 00:03:28,519 Speaker 1: to do this? Your servant is a stake president you 72 00:03:28,600 --> 00:03:31,359 Speaker 1: do and everything right? How would you respond to. 73 00:03:31,360 --> 00:03:34,240 Speaker 2: That great question? 74 00:03:34,560 --> 00:03:39,240 Speaker 4: It's an individual and thank Goodness for the foundation of 75 00:03:39,240 --> 00:03:43,280 Speaker 4: my knowledge and belief of what I know to be true. 76 00:03:43,280 --> 00:03:46,880 Speaker 4: In Jesus Christ, we all know right, because of him 77 00:03:46,920 --> 00:03:50,440 Speaker 4: there we have a more abundant life. He should know, 78 00:03:50,840 --> 00:03:52,840 Speaker 4: as we know in scripture, right, he did not have 79 00:03:52,880 --> 00:03:57,200 Speaker 4: an easy life by any stretch of the imagination, hard 80 00:03:57,640 --> 00:04:01,080 Speaker 4: Adam and Eve as they came out of paradise of 81 00:04:01,080 --> 00:04:04,760 Speaker 4: the garden into this earth, right, what we call mortality. 82 00:04:05,640 --> 00:04:08,680 Speaker 4: It's not meant to be always easy in a bed 83 00:04:08,680 --> 00:04:11,280 Speaker 4: of roses? How else are we going to grow and learn? 84 00:04:12,120 --> 00:04:16,880 Speaker 4: And by understanding that that when we are the most humble, 85 00:04:17,000 --> 00:04:20,640 Speaker 4: are typically in the midst of storms, when we are 86 00:04:20,680 --> 00:04:23,600 Speaker 4: the most teachable, or typically in the meants of chaos, 87 00:04:23,920 --> 00:04:27,320 Speaker 4: and when we don't feel like we're we have control 88 00:04:27,480 --> 00:04:31,160 Speaker 4: of our lives. And a death of a child, that 89 00:04:31,279 --> 00:04:34,400 Speaker 4: obviously is a storm, and it is a trial to 90 00:04:34,560 --> 00:04:41,839 Speaker 4: process to understand things that I prayed for didn't happen 91 00:04:41,880 --> 00:04:43,680 Speaker 4: the way I thought would happen. Right, So how do 92 00:04:43,720 --> 00:04:44,600 Speaker 4: you process that? 93 00:04:45,080 --> 00:04:45,719 Speaker 2: Great question? 94 00:04:45,960 --> 00:04:47,560 Speaker 3: Yeah, that's a great question. 95 00:04:47,600 --> 00:04:48,719 Speaker 1: Did it make you doubt your faith? 96 00:04:49,440 --> 00:04:49,719 Speaker 2: Never? 97 00:04:51,000 --> 00:04:54,440 Speaker 4: What it made me wonder is why, you know, are 98 00:04:54,480 --> 00:04:57,039 Speaker 4: my prayers being answered? Am I being heard? Because what 99 00:04:57,120 --> 00:04:59,560 Speaker 4: I was praying for wasn't happening. You know, I was 100 00:04:59,600 --> 00:05:04,080 Speaker 4: obviously praying for a healing and miracle to occur with 101 00:05:04,200 --> 00:05:06,640 Speaker 4: the sweet baby. That was out of my control. So 102 00:05:06,680 --> 00:05:08,760 Speaker 4: that was the scary part. That's out of my control. 103 00:05:08,839 --> 00:05:10,440 Speaker 2: What do I do? Right? 104 00:05:10,480 --> 00:05:12,719 Speaker 4: We go to work and things that we become experts 105 00:05:12,760 --> 00:05:15,800 Speaker 4: in and we have certain control of that, but this 106 00:05:15,920 --> 00:05:19,839 Speaker 4: situation never been through right. I didn't have a handbook 107 00:05:19,839 --> 00:05:21,280 Speaker 4: when I was married to say hey, you're gonna have 108 00:05:21,320 --> 00:05:24,160 Speaker 4: a child that's gonna pass away, and get ready for this. 109 00:05:24,160 --> 00:05:25,680 Speaker 4: This is what you need to know. No, I had 110 00:05:25,720 --> 00:05:29,480 Speaker 4: to learn in the moment. There's a scripture in Joshua 111 00:05:30,440 --> 00:05:34,960 Speaker 4: one nine. You know, be of good courage, right, be calm, 112 00:05:35,120 --> 00:05:39,080 Speaker 4: be you'll be safe, all be I'm paraphrasing, right, I'll 113 00:05:39,279 --> 00:05:43,800 Speaker 4: be taken care of. That scripture spoke volumes to me 114 00:05:43,920 --> 00:05:46,760 Speaker 4: to settle me down, to know that the Lord has 115 00:05:46,839 --> 00:05:49,840 Speaker 4: this right. We are in God's hands, after all, he's 116 00:05:49,880 --> 00:05:52,159 Speaker 4: the creator of the earth and has all powered. And 117 00:05:52,200 --> 00:05:55,880 Speaker 4: once I undert read was reminded of that, It's like, okay, 118 00:05:56,160 --> 00:06:00,640 Speaker 4: my wife and I by coming here and partaken sacrament, 119 00:06:00,720 --> 00:06:04,240 Speaker 4: being right, being reminded of Jesus going to the temple 120 00:06:04,279 --> 00:06:07,600 Speaker 4: and feeling of his spirit that you walk through this morning, 121 00:06:07,640 --> 00:06:10,800 Speaker 4: and feeling of that peace and surrending in there. 122 00:06:11,240 --> 00:06:14,160 Speaker 2: You know I can walk out and go into the world. 123 00:06:14,680 --> 00:06:16,880 Speaker 2: I can do this. I can do this with him, 124 00:06:17,320 --> 00:06:18,480 Speaker 2: can't do this by myself. 125 00:06:18,800 --> 00:06:20,680 Speaker 3: So that didn't make you doubt your faith? Do you 126 00:06:20,720 --> 00:06:22,520 Speaker 3: ever have doubts? Do you ever have questions? 127 00:06:22,600 --> 00:06:26,000 Speaker 2: I did not make me doubt my faith? I said it. 128 00:06:26,200 --> 00:06:29,120 Speaker 2: It made me doubt as far as could I do this, 129 00:06:29,440 --> 00:06:30,560 Speaker 2: but never my faith. 130 00:06:30,720 --> 00:06:33,240 Speaker 1: Okay, So do you have doubts about your faith? Do 131 00:06:33,240 --> 00:06:35,320 Speaker 1: you ever have doubts? If so, what are those or 132 00:06:35,320 --> 00:06:37,600 Speaker 1: are you like, I'm one hundred percent sure. 133 00:06:37,400 --> 00:06:37,960 Speaker 2: This is right? 134 00:06:38,279 --> 00:06:42,800 Speaker 4: Oh, absolutely, one hundred percent sure. Because every individual has 135 00:06:42,839 --> 00:06:45,280 Speaker 4: to come, even our children, right. We teach them the 136 00:06:45,320 --> 00:06:48,240 Speaker 4: gospel of Jesus Christ and our homes, but we can't 137 00:06:48,279 --> 00:06:51,920 Speaker 4: force feed him. Right, Everyone has their own awakening, Everyone 138 00:06:52,000 --> 00:06:53,880 Speaker 4: has their own coming to themselves. 139 00:06:54,560 --> 00:06:54,760 Speaker 2: Right. 140 00:06:54,800 --> 00:06:56,760 Speaker 4: They have to know for themselves and stand on their 141 00:06:56,760 --> 00:07:00,040 Speaker 4: own two feet. And that's what mortality is about. And 142 00:07:01,080 --> 00:07:03,280 Speaker 4: so I've had it in my life, and I've had 143 00:07:03,320 --> 00:07:06,840 Speaker 4: it reminded over and over again. That's why we teach, 144 00:07:06,880 --> 00:07:09,480 Speaker 4: and we preach, to read the scriptures daily so we're 145 00:07:09,520 --> 00:07:11,360 Speaker 4: reminded of these things. 146 00:07:11,360 --> 00:07:11,880 Speaker 2: We're human. 147 00:07:12,240 --> 00:07:16,280 Speaker 4: It's easy to forget we're distracted social media, everything that 148 00:07:16,280 --> 00:07:19,480 Speaker 4: there's so many distractions, you know, in life. But it's 149 00:07:19,520 --> 00:07:21,520 Speaker 4: good to be reminded as we read scriptures, as we 150 00:07:21,600 --> 00:07:24,720 Speaker 4: come here on a weekly basis to church and partake 151 00:07:24,720 --> 00:07:27,040 Speaker 4: of that sacrament, that we remind that we take His 152 00:07:27,160 --> 00:07:30,840 Speaker 4: name upon ourselves and try to be better friends, try 153 00:07:30,880 --> 00:07:33,720 Speaker 4: to be better neighbors. That's all part of the process 154 00:07:33,760 --> 00:07:37,320 Speaker 4: to truly understand that Christis provides us abundant life for 155 00:07:37,440 --> 00:07:42,760 Speaker 4: us even when we have these tragedies occur around us, 156 00:07:42,880 --> 00:07:45,960 Speaker 4: or you know, the shooting that occurred in the Islamic 157 00:07:46,040 --> 00:07:48,480 Speaker 4: Center here in San Diego a month. 158 00:07:48,360 --> 00:07:50,120 Speaker 2: Ago yesterday, I believe. 159 00:07:51,520 --> 00:07:54,200 Speaker 4: We can still have joy and peace even though we 160 00:07:54,280 --> 00:07:55,640 Speaker 4: have these things go around us. 161 00:07:56,360 --> 00:08:00,800 Speaker 1: Fair enough, so I'm I'm not LDS, no surprise beforehand 162 00:08:00,840 --> 00:08:04,440 Speaker 1: teaching at Biola Evangelical. What would you say to somebody 163 00:08:04,520 --> 00:08:08,880 Speaker 1: like me who from the outside, I guess the first 164 00:08:08,960 --> 00:08:11,720 Speaker 1: question is what do you think I'm missing out on 165 00:08:12,320 --> 00:08:14,360 Speaker 1: in terms of the way I practice my faith? 166 00:08:14,920 --> 00:08:16,280 Speaker 3: The LDS would offer. 167 00:08:18,360 --> 00:08:21,080 Speaker 4: You know, when I look at people of other faiths 168 00:08:21,760 --> 00:08:25,400 Speaker 4: other practices, I don't see you as missing out on right, 169 00:08:25,480 --> 00:08:29,480 Speaker 4: That's not my judging in that sense, for those who 170 00:08:30,680 --> 00:08:34,120 Speaker 4: are interested and want to know more about the Church 171 00:08:34,160 --> 00:08:36,440 Speaker 4: of Jesus Christ, the Letter the Saints, I would say, 172 00:08:36,640 --> 00:08:39,920 Speaker 4: take what you have, the foundation that you've already spent 173 00:08:40,120 --> 00:08:45,920 Speaker 4: hours years learning about, studying about, and teaching about, and 174 00:08:46,040 --> 00:08:48,880 Speaker 4: come and see if we could add more to that. 175 00:08:51,120 --> 00:08:56,120 Speaker 4: Hear of what's preached in church. Obviously, the family is 176 00:08:56,160 --> 00:09:02,199 Speaker 4: our center. The family is the central focus of members 177 00:09:02,200 --> 00:09:05,200 Speaker 4: of the church, whether they have a traditional family or not. 178 00:09:06,040 --> 00:09:08,520 Speaker 2: And obviously in the midst of all that is Jesus 179 00:09:08,640 --> 00:09:11,040 Speaker 2: Christ and what we have with that. 180 00:09:11,160 --> 00:09:14,480 Speaker 4: As you know, we are building almost there are almost 181 00:09:14,720 --> 00:09:16,880 Speaker 4: there's three hundred and eighty plus temples in the world, 182 00:09:17,000 --> 00:09:20,880 Speaker 4: and that's We're the only organization that I'm aware of 183 00:09:21,360 --> 00:09:26,600 Speaker 4: as putting the effort and resources into temples, because not 184 00:09:26,720 --> 00:09:29,080 Speaker 4: just do we need to learn of Jesus Christ, but 185 00:09:29,120 --> 00:09:32,360 Speaker 4: we need to serve others and all religions. That's why 186 00:09:32,360 --> 00:09:35,360 Speaker 4: I love how religions look to serve others. As I 187 00:09:35,559 --> 00:09:38,600 Speaker 4: work with the inner faith leaders here right, we want 188 00:09:38,640 --> 00:09:40,360 Speaker 4: to help. We wanted to reach out to the Imam 189 00:09:41,480 --> 00:09:45,079 Speaker 4: after the Islamic shoot after the shooting there of all 190 00:09:45,080 --> 00:09:48,319 Speaker 4: different faiths, we want to have a candle visual right, 191 00:09:48,400 --> 00:09:51,880 Speaker 4: from all different faiths come together. I love that community 192 00:09:52,400 --> 00:09:55,600 Speaker 4: of interfaith and then also part of our church. If 193 00:09:55,640 --> 00:09:58,520 Speaker 4: we know to be true, tell others, right, we want 194 00:09:58,559 --> 00:10:01,320 Speaker 4: others to come and see the joy that we feel 195 00:10:02,559 --> 00:10:06,199 Speaker 4: by being covenant keeping members of the church. And we also, 196 00:10:06,840 --> 00:10:09,760 Speaker 4: since families are essential focus, what we can. 197 00:10:09,720 --> 00:10:10,240 Speaker 2: Add is. 198 00:10:11,800 --> 00:10:18,120 Speaker 4: Our genealogy, genealogy work, caring for our answers, connecting our kids, 199 00:10:18,960 --> 00:10:23,160 Speaker 4: myself to my ancestors, understanding their stories. Right, We're not 200 00:10:23,400 --> 00:10:25,679 Speaker 4: none of us are perfect, and it's some of us 201 00:10:25,679 --> 00:10:27,839 Speaker 4: have some colorful stories. So it's fun to hear of 202 00:10:27,880 --> 00:10:30,760 Speaker 4: those stories and the heritage that we have. And then 203 00:10:30,800 --> 00:10:32,240 Speaker 4: we become this one big family. 204 00:10:33,160 --> 00:10:33,920 Speaker 2: Does that help that that? 205 00:10:34,280 --> 00:10:34,520 Speaker 4: Yeah? 206 00:10:34,559 --> 00:10:34,800 Speaker 3: Sure? 207 00:10:35,080 --> 00:10:37,440 Speaker 1: Well, I mean I definitely get knocks on my door 208 00:10:37,559 --> 00:10:41,080 Speaker 1: people tell me I should believe and convert and change 209 00:10:41,200 --> 00:10:43,480 Speaker 1: and it's not one big happy family and say you 210 00:10:43,520 --> 00:10:45,520 Speaker 1: got to believe this, And I just got to tour 211 00:10:45,600 --> 00:10:49,360 Speaker 1: the temple. So there's I appreciate the ecumenical spirit you're 212 00:10:49,400 --> 00:10:51,800 Speaker 1: talking about. I do the same, or obviously wouldn't be here. 213 00:10:52,200 --> 00:10:52,920 Speaker 2: Yeah. 214 00:10:52,960 --> 00:10:57,640 Speaker 1: But with that said, for something to me on the outside, 215 00:10:57,800 --> 00:11:00,200 Speaker 1: what would you say to me, how should I bet 216 00:11:00,760 --> 00:11:05,720 Speaker 1: investigate Mormonism will be the best way to take a 217 00:11:05,760 --> 00:11:08,520 Speaker 1: look at it. Or I guess I could ask why 218 00:11:08,720 --> 00:11:11,000 Speaker 1: should I become a Latter day Saints. 219 00:11:11,080 --> 00:11:13,640 Speaker 4: Well, to answer your question, the best way is because 220 00:11:13,640 --> 00:11:15,640 Speaker 4: I know you believe in going straight to the source. 221 00:11:17,240 --> 00:11:19,959 Speaker 4: If you want to believe and know the truth of something, 222 00:11:20,160 --> 00:11:23,120 Speaker 4: go straight to the source, don't go to a secondary source. 223 00:11:23,840 --> 00:11:26,720 Speaker 4: So read the Book of Mormon. We believe it's another 224 00:11:26,760 --> 00:11:29,440 Speaker 4: testament of Jesus Christ, just as we believe in the 225 00:11:29,480 --> 00:11:33,080 Speaker 4: Bible testifies of Jesus. So read the Book of Mormon 226 00:11:34,920 --> 00:11:37,480 Speaker 4: and be open to it. Be grateful for what the 227 00:11:37,520 --> 00:11:40,400 Speaker 4: immediate goodness of God in your life, and write and 228 00:11:40,440 --> 00:11:43,080 Speaker 4: be open to it, and prayer with a sincere heart. 229 00:11:43,160 --> 00:11:46,840 Speaker 4: If this is true, right, If this really does have 230 00:11:47,920 --> 00:11:54,040 Speaker 4: scriptures that compliment and add to the Bible, that's the key. 231 00:11:54,080 --> 00:11:57,360 Speaker 4: They work together hand in hand, those two books. And 232 00:11:57,400 --> 00:12:00,200 Speaker 4: so go straight to the source, is what I would say, 233 00:12:00,360 --> 00:12:03,160 Speaker 4: rather than going to secondary sources about truth. Anytime you 234 00:12:03,200 --> 00:12:06,120 Speaker 4: want to find universal truths, whether it be of religious 235 00:12:06,240 --> 00:12:08,439 Speaker 4: or of other matters, go straight. 236 00:12:08,200 --> 00:12:08,760 Speaker 2: To the source. 237 00:12:09,400 --> 00:12:11,439 Speaker 1: I just gave a talk to a bunch of educators 238 00:12:11,800 --> 00:12:14,679 Speaker 1: I think three days ago from the time we're recording 239 00:12:14,720 --> 00:12:15,520 Speaker 1: this two days ago. 240 00:12:16,000 --> 00:12:18,839 Speaker 3: There's about seven questions to gauge. 241 00:12:18,480 --> 00:12:22,360 Speaker 1: If you really love truth, and one is do we 242 00:12:22,440 --> 00:12:25,240 Speaker 1: read issues and books that differ with us or only 243 00:12:25,360 --> 00:12:28,880 Speaker 1: listen of voices that agree with us. It's about fifteen 244 00:12:28,960 --> 00:12:31,720 Speaker 1: or twenty years ago. I read the Book of Mormon. 245 00:12:31,920 --> 00:12:34,320 Speaker 1: I actually prayed about it. I've gotten some criticism from 246 00:12:34,400 --> 00:12:36,440 Speaker 1: some evangelicals you shouldn't pray about it. I'm like, well, 247 00:12:36,480 --> 00:12:39,280 Speaker 1: it says if you pray with a contrite spirit, it'll 248 00:12:39,320 --> 00:12:39,840 Speaker 1: be shown to you. 249 00:12:39,880 --> 00:12:40,280 Speaker 2: This true. 250 00:12:40,280 --> 00:12:42,480 Speaker 1: And I read all of it, read the pro greate 251 00:12:42,559 --> 00:12:46,160 Speaker 1: price doctrine and covenance, read it through and when I 252 00:12:46,200 --> 00:12:50,240 Speaker 1: was done, I had more questions and was untroubled, like 253 00:12:50,320 --> 00:12:54,280 Speaker 1: troubled in my spirit, not settled in my spirit. So 254 00:12:54,360 --> 00:12:57,480 Speaker 1: I can honestly say before the Lord that I went 255 00:12:57,520 --> 00:13:00,240 Speaker 1: to the source and read it in the way that 256 00:13:00,280 --> 00:13:04,360 Speaker 1: you described. And what would my next step be? 257 00:13:04,880 --> 00:13:06,640 Speaker 3: Going all right? Once the source. 258 00:13:07,440 --> 00:13:11,400 Speaker 1: Didn't find it compelling, found some historical issues, biblical issues, 259 00:13:11,440 --> 00:13:13,320 Speaker 1: theological issues that concern me. 260 00:13:14,400 --> 00:13:15,440 Speaker 3: What should I do now? 261 00:13:16,440 --> 00:13:17,120 Speaker 2: Great question? 262 00:13:19,679 --> 00:13:22,520 Speaker 4: You know, as I talk to friends and others in 263 00:13:22,520 --> 00:13:30,559 Speaker 4: that situation, we all have our own communion with God. 264 00:13:31,640 --> 00:13:34,520 Speaker 4: And we all know when we feel the Spirit of God, 265 00:13:35,320 --> 00:13:38,520 Speaker 4: and the Spirit speaks in the language that we understand 266 00:13:38,800 --> 00:13:41,560 Speaker 4: that we know. So how you feel the Spirit of 267 00:13:41,559 --> 00:13:44,040 Speaker 4: God could be different how I feel the Spirit of God. 268 00:13:44,080 --> 00:13:44,840 Speaker 2: And that's the beauty. 269 00:13:45,520 --> 00:13:47,760 Speaker 4: How we're all individual sons and daughters of God, and 270 00:13:47,840 --> 00:13:52,200 Speaker 4: so he speaks into a way. We have to have 271 00:13:52,240 --> 00:13:56,320 Speaker 4: a believing heart. That's the basic. We have to have 272 00:13:56,360 --> 00:14:00,400 Speaker 4: a believing heart. I have questions, of course, you know 273 00:14:00,480 --> 00:14:03,719 Speaker 4: how certain things are connected. But at the end of 274 00:14:03,760 --> 00:14:06,640 Speaker 4: the day, as I read the Book of Mormon, I 275 00:14:06,800 --> 00:14:08,680 Speaker 4: just know it's true from the feelings that I have 276 00:14:08,840 --> 00:14:11,880 Speaker 4: that speak to my mind and my heart. It's not 277 00:14:12,000 --> 00:14:14,360 Speaker 4: just you know, do I get emotional. It's not just 278 00:14:14,520 --> 00:14:17,439 Speaker 4: you know that type of feeling. It's I know it's 279 00:14:17,440 --> 00:14:21,680 Speaker 4: from the Spirit that speaks to my heart. But I'm 280 00:14:21,680 --> 00:14:22,880 Speaker 4: glad that you've given the effort. 281 00:14:23,080 --> 00:14:24,520 Speaker 3: That's awesome though it took a long time. 282 00:14:24,560 --> 00:14:26,480 Speaker 1: That's a big book, by the way, it's a big book. 283 00:14:26,720 --> 00:14:28,720 Speaker 4: And if you also read the doctrine covenants, you know, 284 00:14:28,800 --> 00:14:31,160 Speaker 4: if I know there are Bibles that are red lined, 285 00:14:31,200 --> 00:14:33,200 Speaker 4: you know, when Jesus is speaking is red line. You know, 286 00:14:33,240 --> 00:14:35,560 Speaker 4: the red line Bible right, and so if the doctrine 287 00:14:35,600 --> 00:14:38,280 Speaker 4: covenants were red lined, it would have the most red 288 00:14:38,320 --> 00:14:41,080 Speaker 4: line of all scripture, because that's direct from the source, 289 00:14:41,840 --> 00:14:43,840 Speaker 4: and we know it. For it to be scripture right, 290 00:14:43,880 --> 00:14:46,840 Speaker 4: it has to be direct from Christ, either from himself, 291 00:14:46,840 --> 00:14:48,720 Speaker 4: from his own voice, or through his profits. 292 00:14:48,920 --> 00:14:52,320 Speaker 1: We were chatting a little bit before about about my dad. 293 00:14:52,360 --> 00:14:54,800 Speaker 1: He's eighty seven years old, and I didn't tell you. 294 00:14:54,840 --> 00:14:57,160 Speaker 1: His story was he grew up in a really broken 295 00:14:57,280 --> 00:15:01,360 Speaker 1: background and I wouldn't even go to d we're talking about, well, 296 00:15:01,400 --> 00:15:04,200 Speaker 1: there was sexual abuse, his father was an alcoholic. My 297 00:15:04,280 --> 00:15:08,560 Speaker 1: grandfather and my dad met some Christians who were different. 298 00:15:09,000 --> 00:15:11,160 Speaker 1: They just had a joy in life, and he grew 299 00:15:11,240 --> 00:15:11,960 Speaker 1: up without that. 300 00:15:12,080 --> 00:15:12,880 Speaker 3: I mean to be honest with you. 301 00:15:12,960 --> 00:15:16,040 Speaker 1: We're surround as a family and my sister, my youngest sister, 302 00:15:16,040 --> 00:15:17,920 Speaker 1: asked my dad. She's like, give me one good memory 303 00:15:17,920 --> 00:15:19,720 Speaker 1: when you were a kid, and I'll never forget Neil. 304 00:15:19,760 --> 00:15:21,720 Speaker 1: He looks just in the eyes, he goes, I don't 305 00:15:21,760 --> 00:15:25,960 Speaker 1: have one. I mean one rarely a day goes by, 306 00:15:26,040 --> 00:15:27,880 Speaker 1: but I don't have at least one good memory with 307 00:15:27,960 --> 00:15:31,280 Speaker 1: my family. My dad's journey was he was challenged by 308 00:15:31,360 --> 00:15:34,040 Speaker 1: some Christians and he thought it was a joke. So 309 00:15:34,120 --> 00:15:35,960 Speaker 1: he set out this would have been I guess this 310 00:15:35,960 --> 00:15:38,960 Speaker 1: would have been in the fifties, to prove that the 311 00:15:39,000 --> 00:15:42,120 Speaker 1: Bible is not true, to show that jess did not 312 00:15:42,240 --> 00:15:45,680 Speaker 1: rise from the grave, and Jesus didn't claim to be God. 313 00:15:45,800 --> 00:15:48,080 Speaker 1: So he was actually trying to gather the evidence to 314 00:15:48,160 --> 00:15:51,520 Speaker 1: prove that it was false. He was surprised by the 315 00:15:51,640 --> 00:15:56,280 Speaker 1: archaeological evidence, by the manuscript evidence, by the testimony evidence, like, well, 316 00:15:56,320 --> 00:16:00,680 Speaker 1: this describes real things in history. Jesus claim to be 317 00:16:00,760 --> 00:16:04,320 Speaker 1: God and ended up becoming a Christian, changed his life. 318 00:16:04,440 --> 00:16:08,360 Speaker 1: Forgave my grandfather which was really powerful, and got to 319 00:16:08,360 --> 00:16:11,240 Speaker 1: see him really lead him to the Lord and then 320 00:16:11,320 --> 00:16:14,480 Speaker 1: never have another sip of alcohol. And his grandfather was 321 00:16:14,600 --> 00:16:17,920 Speaker 1: a drunk. I mean the change was instant. But one 322 00:16:17,920 --> 00:16:19,920 Speaker 1: of the things my dad's built into me. He go, son, 323 00:16:20,080 --> 00:16:24,280 Speaker 1: love truth. And so for me, you say to you 324 00:16:24,280 --> 00:16:26,920 Speaker 1: got to have a believing heart. I mean, I have 325 00:16:27,160 --> 00:16:29,920 Speaker 1: searched my heart and I'm willing to believe truth where 326 00:16:29,960 --> 00:16:31,920 Speaker 1: it goes and pay the price for it. That was 327 00:16:31,960 --> 00:16:34,160 Speaker 1: one of my other second questions to this group. I'm like, 328 00:16:34,240 --> 00:16:36,520 Speaker 1: are you willing to pay a price for what you believe. 329 00:16:37,200 --> 00:16:39,760 Speaker 1: If not, you don't really believe it. But in part 330 00:16:39,760 --> 00:16:41,400 Speaker 1: for me, it's not enough to read a book and 331 00:16:41,440 --> 00:16:44,640 Speaker 1: have a feeling. I'm like, did this happen in history? 332 00:16:45,080 --> 00:16:50,840 Speaker 1: Is this actually objectively true? Do you disagree with that approach? 333 00:16:51,120 --> 00:16:53,040 Speaker 1: Is there the evidence to back up the Book of 334 00:16:53,040 --> 00:16:55,560 Speaker 1: Mormon like that? Or what would you say to somebody 335 00:16:55,720 --> 00:16:58,560 Speaker 1: like me who's looking at this saying this claims to 336 00:16:58,600 --> 00:17:02,440 Speaker 1: be events in history, their claims DNA lineage, there's a 337 00:17:02,480 --> 00:17:05,320 Speaker 1: claim about the authorship of the Book of Abraham, like, 338 00:17:05,359 --> 00:17:08,320 Speaker 1: those are the questions? As an apologist, would you say, 339 00:17:08,359 --> 00:17:10,600 Speaker 1: don't ask those questions, we have the answers. 340 00:17:10,760 --> 00:17:11,280 Speaker 3: Just have faith. 341 00:17:11,280 --> 00:17:14,719 Speaker 1: What would your response be to somebody who's like, if 342 00:17:14,760 --> 00:17:16,840 Speaker 1: you could show me it's true, I actually would believe it. 343 00:17:17,000 --> 00:17:21,960 Speaker 4: Sure, wouldn't that be great if all scripture was perfectly 344 00:17:22,080 --> 00:17:27,159 Speaker 4: understood and perfectly put together? But you said something or 345 00:17:27,320 --> 00:17:30,520 Speaker 4: just have faith? And that's the keys. Why do we 346 00:17:30,600 --> 00:17:32,879 Speaker 4: have bad things happening in this world when we know 347 00:17:33,000 --> 00:17:35,760 Speaker 4: God is good? Because we have to have faith to 348 00:17:36,640 --> 00:17:39,120 Speaker 4: connect the dot for me to be. 349 00:17:38,119 --> 00:17:40,159 Speaker 2: How do I go over this bridge of over the 350 00:17:40,240 --> 00:17:42,240 Speaker 2: scary water? Right? 351 00:17:42,280 --> 00:17:44,720 Speaker 4: I can say that all the archaeological things. I can say, 352 00:17:44,720 --> 00:17:46,760 Speaker 4: all the physical evidence have all been proven. 353 00:17:47,000 --> 00:17:47,160 Speaker 2: Right. 354 00:17:47,200 --> 00:17:49,600 Speaker 4: As the years go on, more and more things are 355 00:17:49,640 --> 00:17:52,920 Speaker 4: being discovered. You know, was there some men, were there horses? 356 00:17:52,960 --> 00:17:53,159 Speaker 2: You know? 357 00:17:53,240 --> 00:17:55,439 Speaker 4: All these things regarding the Book of Mormon, they've all 358 00:17:55,480 --> 00:17:59,080 Speaker 4: been proven. But that's not what anyone should have their 359 00:17:59,119 --> 00:18:01,600 Speaker 4: basis on for the veracity of the Book of Mormon. 360 00:18:02,920 --> 00:18:06,520 Speaker 2: Yes, there is wrestling with what I call of the restoration. Yeah, 361 00:18:06,920 --> 00:18:07,800 Speaker 2: the Book of Abraham. 362 00:18:07,880 --> 00:18:10,639 Speaker 4: Right, there are some questions that I don't have the answer, 363 00:18:10,760 --> 00:18:11,719 Speaker 4: sol do I have questions. 364 00:18:11,760 --> 00:18:13,240 Speaker 2: I don't have doubts. I have questions. 365 00:18:13,240 --> 00:18:16,240 Speaker 4: Sure, there are certain questions that I didn't know exactly 366 00:18:16,280 --> 00:18:21,320 Speaker 4: how certain things came together. But I tell you, when 367 00:18:21,359 --> 00:18:24,960 Speaker 4: I read it, it's it's the gospel of Jesus Christ. 368 00:18:25,280 --> 00:18:27,200 Speaker 4: When I read in the Book of Moses or the 369 00:18:27,200 --> 00:18:29,640 Speaker 4: Book of Abraham, you know, of the Pearl great Price. 370 00:18:30,840 --> 00:18:34,600 Speaker 4: It is so true because it compliments, it confirms, It 371 00:18:34,640 --> 00:18:36,959 Speaker 4: comes together with the Bible, and it comes together with 372 00:18:36,960 --> 00:18:40,720 Speaker 4: the Book of Mormon. They all are this one truth 373 00:18:40,760 --> 00:18:43,120 Speaker 4: in Christ. And so yes, if you want to get 374 00:18:43,160 --> 00:18:45,639 Speaker 4: into the background, you know, how could Joseph, you know, 375 00:18:45,720 --> 00:18:47,560 Speaker 4: translate the Book of More in such a short period 376 00:18:47,600 --> 00:18:51,400 Speaker 4: of time. Well, my goodness. You know, if Jesus can 377 00:18:51,920 --> 00:18:53,679 Speaker 4: you know, spit on the ground and heal, you know, 378 00:18:53,760 --> 00:18:57,240 Speaker 4: take some duranty and heal someone that's blind, well I 379 00:18:57,280 --> 00:18:59,760 Speaker 4: can believe in things can happen over a speek. 380 00:19:00,160 --> 00:19:01,000 Speaker 2: Esus was God. 381 00:19:01,600 --> 00:19:02,960 Speaker 3: That's a little bit of a difference. 382 00:19:03,280 --> 00:19:05,240 Speaker 2: Well, but that's what I'm saying. But he's involved in 383 00:19:05,280 --> 00:19:08,159 Speaker 2: our lives, right, we know miracles occur. We know that. 384 00:19:08,800 --> 00:19:10,080 Speaker 3: I definitely agree with you on how. 385 00:19:10,040 --> 00:19:11,280 Speaker 2: The angels can surround us. 386 00:19:11,359 --> 00:19:14,840 Speaker 4: Right, So there is a higher power around all of 387 00:19:14,920 --> 00:19:17,640 Speaker 4: us and can be but faith. 388 00:19:17,440 --> 00:19:20,000 Speaker 2: Is the key for that power to be actuated. 389 00:19:20,359 --> 00:19:24,639 Speaker 1: Right, fair enough, So you teach here like weekly, you 390 00:19:24,720 --> 00:19:28,800 Speaker 1: preach what is a like what does a Mormon sermon 391 00:19:28,880 --> 00:19:31,679 Speaker 1: look like? I've been to a ward multiple times and 392 00:19:31,680 --> 00:19:33,680 Speaker 1: every time I go, it's like testimony week. 393 00:19:34,240 --> 00:19:35,240 Speaker 3: I'm like, I kind of want to. 394 00:19:35,240 --> 00:19:37,760 Speaker 4: Hear somebody other than the first Sunday of the month. 395 00:19:38,000 --> 00:19:40,240 Speaker 3: That's when it is. Okay, I didn't get that memo. 396 00:19:40,320 --> 00:19:42,520 Speaker 3: I guess it's obvious. I've gone multiple times. 397 00:19:42,280 --> 00:19:45,200 Speaker 1: With students just to visit, and they've always been super gracious, 398 00:19:45,359 --> 00:19:49,440 Speaker 1: welcome me in. Tell me just like really quickly, what 399 00:19:49,960 --> 00:19:52,000 Speaker 1: do you what is it like? How do you preach? 400 00:19:52,080 --> 00:19:54,480 Speaker 1: How do you prep what does that look like? 401 00:19:55,400 --> 00:19:56,080 Speaker 2: Great question? 402 00:19:56,880 --> 00:19:59,520 Speaker 4: So, as I mentioned, there's nine congregations, so it's not 403 00:19:59,560 --> 00:20:02,480 Speaker 4: just in this building, it's in other buildings. And so 404 00:20:03,440 --> 00:20:06,679 Speaker 4: just like to actuate faith, you have to put some 405 00:20:06,760 --> 00:20:08,840 Speaker 4: work in. So I'll reach out to the local bishop, 406 00:20:08,880 --> 00:20:11,560 Speaker 4: ask him what his concerns are. What are some things 407 00:20:11,600 --> 00:20:14,080 Speaker 4: going on in that local congregation? Right where humans we're 408 00:20:14,080 --> 00:20:17,040 Speaker 4: dealing with experiment of life, right, we all have issues 409 00:20:17,040 --> 00:20:17,800 Speaker 4: that we're dealing. 410 00:20:17,600 --> 00:20:18,160 Speaker 2: With, and so. 411 00:20:20,240 --> 00:20:21,960 Speaker 4: And so I'll ask him, and so I'll get a 412 00:20:21,960 --> 00:20:25,800 Speaker 4: feel of what he's looking at. I know what our profit, 413 00:20:26,600 --> 00:20:29,399 Speaker 4: our president dol A Chokes and the twelve form the Twelve, 414 00:20:29,800 --> 00:20:32,840 Speaker 4: what they're focused on, because we believe that their profits 415 00:20:32,840 --> 00:20:37,000 Speaker 4: here as revelairs. So that is prophecy and that is 416 00:20:38,400 --> 00:20:40,399 Speaker 4: instruction that we should have for the whole church. So 417 00:20:40,440 --> 00:20:43,679 Speaker 4: I'll put those two together, and I'll have to do 418 00:20:43,680 --> 00:20:45,480 Speaker 4: my own studying and praying to know, and then I 419 00:20:45,680 --> 00:20:49,080 Speaker 4: will come. And sometimes I have prepared thoughts written down 420 00:20:49,320 --> 00:20:50,920 Speaker 4: with an outline, and other times I don't. 421 00:20:50,960 --> 00:20:51,520 Speaker 2: I'll just come. 422 00:20:51,680 --> 00:20:53,960 Speaker 3: You walk behind that pulpit and you don't have notes. 423 00:20:54,040 --> 00:20:57,879 Speaker 4: You're just talking sometimes I don't, okay, right, because we 424 00:20:58,040 --> 00:21:00,560 Speaker 4: know that in order to have immediate meaning, we have 425 00:21:00,600 --> 00:21:02,080 Speaker 4: to have the spirit of God. And they are guided 426 00:21:02,080 --> 00:21:05,000 Speaker 4: by the spirit. Okay, and we and we go by that, 427 00:21:05,280 --> 00:21:07,639 Speaker 4: and but that takes preparation. I have to put on 428 00:21:07,680 --> 00:21:10,679 Speaker 4: the work on a daily basis, right to treasure up 429 00:21:10,680 --> 00:21:11,360 Speaker 4: the world you're. 430 00:21:11,200 --> 00:21:13,600 Speaker 1: Pulling from going to seminary all the way back is 431 00:21:13,640 --> 00:21:14,359 Speaker 1: growing up And. 432 00:21:14,280 --> 00:21:17,240 Speaker 4: I'm right and fair well, No, could I remember everything 433 00:21:17,240 --> 00:21:18,240 Speaker 4: I was taught in seminary. 434 00:21:18,400 --> 00:21:20,679 Speaker 1: No, but you're not just making it up as you 435 00:21:20,720 --> 00:21:23,480 Speaker 1: go along. So you when you talk to your congregation, 436 00:21:23,720 --> 00:21:27,640 Speaker 1: how do you define what faith is like? You've used 437 00:21:27,640 --> 00:21:31,520 Speaker 1: that term a few words? What does faith mean? What 438 00:21:31,680 --> 00:21:34,919 Speaker 1: is faith like? If your congregation said, what would they 439 00:21:34,960 --> 00:21:37,040 Speaker 1: call you? They wouldn't call you pastor they would call 440 00:21:37,080 --> 00:21:41,359 Speaker 1: you president Walton? Okay, what is faith? 441 00:21:42,200 --> 00:21:43,160 Speaker 2: How would you answer that? 442 00:21:43,400 --> 00:21:47,439 Speaker 4: Faith is the first principle of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, 443 00:21:47,640 --> 00:21:52,679 Speaker 4: the very first foundational principle. And faith is not just 444 00:21:52,800 --> 00:21:56,720 Speaker 4: I hope that the sun comes out today. Faith is 445 00:21:56,760 --> 00:21:57,800 Speaker 4: a belief. 446 00:21:57,640 --> 00:22:00,760 Speaker 2: And a trust and a confidence in the Lord Jesus Savior. 447 00:22:01,160 --> 00:22:04,600 Speaker 2: Jesus Christ. The faith has to be focused on Jesus Christ. 448 00:22:04,840 --> 00:22:08,600 Speaker 4: And as faith doesn't necessarily that I believe does the 449 00:22:08,680 --> 00:22:12,679 Speaker 4: Israelites as they went into the sea, did they really 450 00:22:12,720 --> 00:22:16,719 Speaker 4: think it was going to part? Faith is action. You 451 00:22:16,840 --> 00:22:20,320 Speaker 4: have to again have action. You have to step into 452 00:22:20,359 --> 00:22:24,680 Speaker 4: that water, get your feet wet. Oh, nothing's going on here. 453 00:22:24,720 --> 00:22:27,040 Speaker 4: Moses told us to go across. But we have to 454 00:22:27,080 --> 00:22:28,639 Speaker 4: maybe get up to our knees, get up to our 455 00:22:28,720 --> 00:22:32,280 Speaker 4: waste before we really have to take action. So faith 456 00:22:32,359 --> 00:22:35,720 Speaker 4: is a principle of action, and then from that God 457 00:22:35,760 --> 00:22:37,240 Speaker 4: will bless us whatever were. 458 00:22:37,920 --> 00:22:39,919 Speaker 3: So trust, action, confidence. 459 00:22:40,000 --> 00:22:41,240 Speaker 2: Okay, fair enough, Jesus. 460 00:22:41,600 --> 00:22:45,119 Speaker 1: We're also chatting about this a little bit before. I 461 00:22:45,160 --> 00:22:46,720 Speaker 1: was trying to give you some of the questions ahead 462 00:22:46,720 --> 00:22:48,679 Speaker 1: of time to prep which I appreciate when people do 463 00:22:48,720 --> 00:22:50,520 Speaker 1: with me. But I'm curious what you think is the 464 00:22:50,520 --> 00:22:56,560 Speaker 1: biggest misconception that evangelicals or traditional Christians have about Latter 465 00:22:56,640 --> 00:22:59,280 Speaker 1: day Saints, Mormon Church. 466 00:22:59,119 --> 00:23:00,560 Speaker 3: Your beliefs, your press practices. 467 00:23:01,160 --> 00:23:02,760 Speaker 1: What are some of the common ones you hear that 468 00:23:02,800 --> 00:23:04,639 Speaker 1: You're like, really hear that again? 469 00:23:04,720 --> 00:23:05,800 Speaker 3: When are they going to fix that? 470 00:23:06,320 --> 00:23:08,800 Speaker 4: We'll have to be honest, because I you know, in 471 00:23:08,880 --> 00:23:11,320 Speaker 4: my circle. Over the last thirty years, I haven't come 472 00:23:11,359 --> 00:23:14,199 Speaker 4: across too many evangelicals. It's just in the areas that 473 00:23:14,240 --> 00:23:18,720 Speaker 4: I live in, it's mostly Catholics and Jews and Muslims, 474 00:23:18,720 --> 00:23:24,160 Speaker 4: which I love, you know. We so as far as misconceptions, 475 00:23:24,560 --> 00:23:28,959 Speaker 4: you know, disease are just general perhaps misconceptions of members 476 00:23:29,000 --> 00:23:32,240 Speaker 4: of the church. One that, you know, we believe in 477 00:23:32,280 --> 00:23:35,840 Speaker 4: a godhead, that there are three distinct beings God, the Father, 478 00:23:37,200 --> 00:23:40,320 Speaker 4: and his beloved Son and only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, 479 00:23:40,359 --> 00:23:45,679 Speaker 4: and the holy ghosts those So that is one foundational 480 00:23:45,760 --> 00:23:47,000 Speaker 4: doctrine that we believe in. 481 00:23:47,400 --> 00:23:51,879 Speaker 1: So how often have evangelicals are traditional Christians, just shown 482 00:23:51,960 --> 00:23:53,679 Speaker 1: up and said, I want to sit in church, I 483 00:23:53,720 --> 00:23:55,640 Speaker 1: want to learn, Can we go to coffee? 484 00:23:56,280 --> 00:23:57,240 Speaker 2: I want to talk to you. 485 00:23:57,440 --> 00:23:59,680 Speaker 1: Has that happened in the years you've been serving here 486 00:23:59,720 --> 00:24:00,280 Speaker 1: at all? 487 00:24:00,760 --> 00:24:01,119 Speaker 2: Rarely? 488 00:24:02,080 --> 00:24:06,720 Speaker 4: Because it happens more not because they're coming to me, 489 00:24:06,880 --> 00:24:09,200 Speaker 4: but they're coming to their friends. They're usually coming because 490 00:24:09,200 --> 00:24:11,920 Speaker 4: a friend has brought them. They're already connected to their friend, 491 00:24:12,720 --> 00:24:14,439 Speaker 4: and then that friend will go to lunch with them, 492 00:24:14,520 --> 00:24:16,600 Speaker 4: right go to you know, go to breakfast with them, 493 00:24:16,640 --> 00:24:18,720 Speaker 4: and go to their house and learn more like. 494 00:24:18,680 --> 00:24:21,439 Speaker 2: What are you guys all about? What's this Book of Mormon? Right? 495 00:24:21,480 --> 00:24:22,200 Speaker 2: What are you all about? 496 00:24:22,200 --> 00:24:25,320 Speaker 4: So those conversations happen more at that level, and I 497 00:24:25,400 --> 00:24:26,800 Speaker 4: just get to come in and when I hear about 498 00:24:26,800 --> 00:24:28,520 Speaker 4: these stories, I get to come in then meet those 499 00:24:28,560 --> 00:24:33,200 Speaker 4: friends I just met. Oh my gosh, this young man 500 00:24:33,359 --> 00:24:37,000 Speaker 4: who he was already seeking for something, came from Arizona 501 00:24:37,040 --> 00:24:38,760 Speaker 4: and he was just walking on the beach and he 502 00:24:38,840 --> 00:24:42,720 Speaker 4: saw the missionaries whiteboarding me and they had a board 503 00:24:42,720 --> 00:24:45,439 Speaker 4: there and they had a question, you know, and so anyway, 504 00:24:45,480 --> 00:24:49,760 Speaker 4: he engaged with them and now he's he sided out 505 00:24:49,800 --> 00:24:52,280 Speaker 4: and he prayed about it and he's on fire right, 506 00:24:52,359 --> 00:24:54,040 Speaker 4: And so I saw. I get to hear stories like 507 00:24:54,040 --> 00:24:56,320 Speaker 4: that after the fact. Typically it's a. 508 00:24:56,320 --> 00:24:59,920 Speaker 1: Lot of intentional leaders, people reaching out saying, let's build 509 00:24:59,920 --> 00:25:03,000 Speaker 1: a relationship, let's talk, let's connect, and that doesn't happen. 510 00:25:03,480 --> 00:25:06,120 Speaker 4: I'm more at the inner faith level with other church leaders. 511 00:25:07,320 --> 00:25:10,800 Speaker 4: And then I'm also or with members perhaps who could 512 00:25:10,800 --> 00:25:13,720 Speaker 4: be struggling right with their faith based on what's going 513 00:25:13,720 --> 00:25:15,200 Speaker 4: on in their lives. So I'll sit down with them 514 00:25:15,240 --> 00:25:17,280 Speaker 4: and try to understand them and help them and counsel 515 00:25:17,359 --> 00:25:17,720 Speaker 4: with them. 516 00:25:18,359 --> 00:25:21,640 Speaker 1: What do you think are the big differences. We can 517 00:25:21,680 --> 00:25:23,960 Speaker 1: talk about similarities, and it seems to me there's a 518 00:25:24,119 --> 00:25:27,359 Speaker 1: concerted effort today to. 519 00:25:26,640 --> 00:25:28,120 Speaker 3: Focus on the similarities. 520 00:25:28,600 --> 00:25:30,360 Speaker 1: One of the things I do on my channel that's 521 00:25:30,400 --> 00:25:34,560 Speaker 1: most important to me is just clarity, no matter what 522 00:25:34,640 --> 00:25:38,040 Speaker 1: the issue is, where do we agree, where do we differ, 523 00:25:38,359 --> 00:25:41,359 Speaker 1: and why I think people really value that I found. 524 00:25:42,000 --> 00:25:45,840 Speaker 1: So where do you think in your mind you and 525 00:25:45,920 --> 00:25:49,480 Speaker 1: I would differ in terms of traditional Christianity and Latter 526 00:25:49,520 --> 00:25:55,040 Speaker 1: day Saints, whether it's practice, doctrine. What are the big 527 00:25:55,160 --> 00:25:56,840 Speaker 1: differences in your mind? 528 00:25:59,040 --> 00:26:02,800 Speaker 4: So this is my ignorance because I would say, when 529 00:26:02,800 --> 00:26:08,920 Speaker 4: you say traditional Christianity, we're in that conversation because what 530 00:26:08,960 --> 00:26:14,640 Speaker 4: we teach is from scripture that comes from traditional Christianity. 531 00:26:15,560 --> 00:26:18,359 Speaker 4: Jesus Christ is central in the name and title of 532 00:26:18,400 --> 00:26:21,639 Speaker 4: our church. Whether church could it be right if it 533 00:26:21,640 --> 00:26:27,280 Speaker 4: doesn't have Jesus Christ in it. This is the same 534 00:26:27,720 --> 00:26:31,399 Speaker 4: New Testament church that Christ organized and set up when 535 00:26:31,440 --> 00:26:33,080 Speaker 4: he was on the earth during the three years of 536 00:26:33,119 --> 00:26:37,160 Speaker 4: his preaching. And so I would say that we are 537 00:26:37,200 --> 00:26:39,800 Speaker 4: in that, We are part of that absolutely. 538 00:26:40,359 --> 00:26:41,160 Speaker 2: And I get. 539 00:26:42,920 --> 00:26:45,920 Speaker 4: Right because I've studied a little bit, you know, regarding 540 00:26:46,520 --> 00:26:49,200 Speaker 4: how churches and when they came about in different faiths 541 00:26:49,200 --> 00:26:52,600 Speaker 4: and different religions and different denominations. But at the end 542 00:26:52,600 --> 00:26:55,000 Speaker 4: of the day, we all believe in the same Jesus Christ. 543 00:26:55,359 --> 00:26:59,480 Speaker 4: We all believe that he resurrected, we all believe that 544 00:26:59,520 --> 00:27:00,800 Speaker 4: the tomb is empty. 545 00:27:03,920 --> 00:27:05,200 Speaker 3: So okay, fair enough. 546 00:27:05,359 --> 00:27:09,240 Speaker 1: I guess in part I'm searching for a term that 547 00:27:09,280 --> 00:27:14,160 Speaker 1: would make distinct what LDS believe from. And again, every 548 00:27:14,200 --> 00:27:17,600 Speaker 1: term is maybe loaded like a historical Christianity. So you 549 00:27:17,640 --> 00:27:20,440 Speaker 1: said earlier, like on the Trinity. I thought you made 550 00:27:20,440 --> 00:27:22,040 Speaker 1: it clear if I heard you, and from I understand 551 00:27:22,119 --> 00:27:26,920 Speaker 1: like three distinct beings who are divined, So reject the Trinity, 552 00:27:27,560 --> 00:27:33,800 Speaker 1: which Orthodox, Protestant, Catholic. That's been a central belief. Some 553 00:27:33,840 --> 00:27:35,480 Speaker 1: would say it is codified, and I see it. I 554 00:27:35,480 --> 00:27:37,760 Speaker 1: think it goes back earlier. That's a separate argument. But 555 00:27:37,800 --> 00:27:39,920 Speaker 1: that would be an area that would make. 556 00:27:41,400 --> 00:27:42,000 Speaker 3: Theology. 557 00:27:42,160 --> 00:27:44,720 Speaker 4: I've tried to read and understand that I see in 558 00:27:44,760 --> 00:27:47,280 Speaker 4: Creed and it's hard for me to understand, just to 559 00:27:47,280 --> 00:27:49,240 Speaker 4: be honest, try to understand it. 560 00:27:49,359 --> 00:27:52,440 Speaker 2: Just we know in the you know the interactions of the. 561 00:27:52,359 --> 00:27:56,600 Speaker 4: Bible, you know Jesus's baptism, right, it's pretty distinct that 562 00:27:56,640 --> 00:27:58,560 Speaker 4: there was a voice that wasn't from Jesus. 563 00:27:58,760 --> 00:28:02,000 Speaker 2: But anyway, Yeah, though, that's one that I'm aware. But 564 00:28:02,040 --> 00:28:02,720 Speaker 2: what are some. 565 00:28:04,680 --> 00:28:06,680 Speaker 4: Differences if you want to go there, so you tell 566 00:28:06,720 --> 00:28:08,320 Speaker 4: me what some of these are from the evangelical so 567 00:28:08,400 --> 00:28:09,520 Speaker 4: maybe I can address those. 568 00:28:09,720 --> 00:28:10,560 Speaker 3: Yeah, no, that's fair. 569 00:28:10,800 --> 00:28:14,280 Speaker 1: So I would say I think the trinity would be 570 00:28:14,320 --> 00:28:16,879 Speaker 1: a big one. And understand it is a conversation we 571 00:28:16,920 --> 00:28:19,400 Speaker 1: could have. I'd be happy to sit down and talk 572 00:28:19,400 --> 00:28:22,920 Speaker 1: that through. But I think that's that the vast majority 573 00:28:22,960 --> 00:28:27,359 Speaker 1: of traditional Christians would say that's an essential view. I 574 00:28:27,400 --> 00:28:30,600 Speaker 1: think God the Father having a physical body, it's one 575 00:28:30,680 --> 00:28:33,880 Speaker 1: doctor in Covenant's one point thirty you would believe that right, 576 00:28:34,000 --> 00:28:37,480 Speaker 1: that would definitely separate And we don't have to argue 577 00:28:37,520 --> 00:28:39,880 Speaker 1: here which view is right or correct. I'm just simply 578 00:28:39,920 --> 00:28:45,280 Speaker 1: asking what are some of those differences. I think obviously 579 00:28:45,320 --> 00:28:48,480 Speaker 1: some of the practices like baptizing for the dead, I 580 00:28:48,520 --> 00:28:55,800 Speaker 1: would have typical theological reservations with that. I would argue 581 00:28:55,840 --> 00:28:59,239 Speaker 1: the dynamic between faith and works and some of the 582 00:28:59,240 --> 00:29:03,480 Speaker 1: practices within the temple with that entails. So I think 583 00:29:03,520 --> 00:29:08,360 Speaker 1: that's a I think that's a fundamental distinction. I think 584 00:29:08,560 --> 00:29:11,560 Speaker 1: the topic of exaltation would probably be the biggest one 585 00:29:11,600 --> 00:29:15,920 Speaker 1: that evangelicals would say like time out. And tied to 586 00:29:15,960 --> 00:29:21,920 Speaker 1: that would be Jesus being God. But is Jesus the uncreated, eternal, 587 00:29:22,920 --> 00:29:28,480 Speaker 1: unchanging God. That would be a view that Catholic, Protestants 588 00:29:28,920 --> 00:29:32,480 Speaker 1: and Orthodox would hold that, as I understand, it would 589 00:29:32,520 --> 00:29:35,400 Speaker 1: make it distinct from a Latter day Saint belief. 590 00:29:35,520 --> 00:29:38,680 Speaker 4: These are wonderful, you know, discussion points, you know, And 591 00:29:39,720 --> 00:29:41,400 Speaker 4: I'll just tell you what I know to be true 592 00:29:41,560 --> 00:29:46,320 Speaker 4: through my studies and through my beliefs. You know you 593 00:29:46,720 --> 00:29:51,880 Speaker 4: mentioned baptism, right, We know Christ is the ultimate example, 594 00:29:52,000 --> 00:29:55,800 Speaker 4: ultimate teacher. And in John three five Wright E was 595 00:29:55,840 --> 00:30:00,040 Speaker 4: baptized and that all need to be baptized in order. 596 00:29:59,880 --> 00:30:04,360 Speaker 2: To to go into the Kingdom of God. He was. 597 00:30:05,200 --> 00:30:07,440 Speaker 4: He was baptized for himself, the only perfect being. So, 598 00:30:07,640 --> 00:30:10,360 Speaker 4: my goodness, if the one perfect being I locked the 599 00:30:10,400 --> 00:30:14,320 Speaker 4: earth with baptized, then for sure I need to be baptized. 600 00:30:15,200 --> 00:30:17,240 Speaker 4: And then what about all those who don't know of Jesus. 601 00:30:17,520 --> 00:30:19,880 Speaker 4: I served my mission in Brazil, and I came across 602 00:30:19,960 --> 00:30:22,520 Speaker 4: many who had never heard of Jesus Christ, even in 603 00:30:22,560 --> 00:30:25,080 Speaker 4: a very Catholic country. And I was surprised by that 604 00:30:26,400 --> 00:30:28,160 Speaker 4: as a as a as a young adult, and so 605 00:30:28,200 --> 00:30:31,320 Speaker 4: that was it was fun to learn and understand. But 606 00:30:32,400 --> 00:30:35,360 Speaker 4: God wants all his children to come back, and so 607 00:30:35,680 --> 00:30:38,840 Speaker 4: what about them? So that's where the temple comes to play, 608 00:30:38,960 --> 00:30:42,440 Speaker 4: because if life ended at death, we wouldn't be building temples. 609 00:30:42,440 --> 00:30:46,480 Speaker 4: But we all need baptism. It's an essential promise and 610 00:30:46,720 --> 00:30:49,800 Speaker 4: essential sacred ceremony that we need, as you know, we 611 00:30:49,880 --> 00:30:54,160 Speaker 4: call ordinance. And so that's where baptists for ancestors come in. 612 00:30:54,640 --> 00:30:58,680 Speaker 4: And that scriptural basis for that is in you know, right, 613 00:30:59,160 --> 00:31:02,760 Speaker 4: first Corinthians fifteen, as the apostle Paul was talking to 614 00:31:02,800 --> 00:31:07,440 Speaker 4: the Pharisees and because they understood the resurrection. So that's 615 00:31:07,480 --> 00:31:10,920 Speaker 4: where the scriptural basis for that comes in. As far 616 00:31:11,000 --> 00:31:13,280 Speaker 4: as I'm trying to remember the other one after that 617 00:31:13,280 --> 00:31:16,600 Speaker 4: that you mentioned after your baptists were the dead. 618 00:31:16,720 --> 00:31:17,400 Speaker 2: What was the other one? 619 00:31:17,400 --> 00:31:19,640 Speaker 3: I think I mentioned Jesus being uncreated. 620 00:31:19,800 --> 00:31:24,200 Speaker 4: Oh yeah, uncreated and faith works I mean absolutely works 621 00:31:24,200 --> 00:31:27,920 Speaker 4: alone do not save us. Absolutely that I mean that 622 00:31:28,040 --> 00:31:32,720 Speaker 4: is that is essential because again faith is the principle 623 00:31:32,880 --> 00:31:36,760 Speaker 4: that actuates, that activates everything else. So we gotta we 624 00:31:36,880 --> 00:31:41,080 Speaker 4: got to have belief in Jesus and right, because all 625 00:31:41,280 --> 00:31:43,520 Speaker 4: who are born on earth, where they accept God or not, 626 00:31:43,760 --> 00:31:45,480 Speaker 4: they're all going to die and we're all going to 627 00:31:45,520 --> 00:31:49,440 Speaker 4: be resurrected. We're all going to have our spirits and 628 00:31:49,480 --> 00:31:54,120 Speaker 4: our bodies reunite because because Jesus resurrected for all of mankind, 629 00:31:54,160 --> 00:31:56,840 Speaker 4: that's a free gift given to all of us. 630 00:31:57,480 --> 00:31:59,680 Speaker 2: And I think most would agree on that. 631 00:32:00,880 --> 00:32:02,400 Speaker 4: And then, of course, and then we get into the 632 00:32:02,400 --> 00:32:04,440 Speaker 4: different degrees of glory, which is now, so we all 633 00:32:04,440 --> 00:32:06,400 Speaker 4: receive salvation in that sense. 634 00:32:07,040 --> 00:32:09,120 Speaker 2: But then as far as the degrees of glory, right. 635 00:32:09,000 --> 00:32:12,200 Speaker 1: I mean we all, meaning all mankind will have some 636 00:32:12,280 --> 00:32:13,600 Speaker 1: kind of salvation. 637 00:32:13,640 --> 00:32:15,720 Speaker 2: Meaning because we're immortal, we're all going. 638 00:32:15,640 --> 00:32:17,400 Speaker 3: To resurrect pre existed. 639 00:32:17,440 --> 00:32:20,920 Speaker 1: We all pre existed, which would be a difference, which 640 00:32:20,960 --> 00:32:21,240 Speaker 1: is fine. 641 00:32:21,280 --> 00:32:22,120 Speaker 3: We don't have to debate this. 642 00:32:22,200 --> 00:32:24,240 Speaker 1: I just want to understand where it's that that would 643 00:32:24,280 --> 00:32:26,120 Speaker 1: be one of the differences we would have. But you 644 00:32:26,120 --> 00:32:29,720 Speaker 1: would say everybody gets a kind of salvation. But when 645 00:32:29,760 --> 00:32:33,160 Speaker 1: I say, like the ultimate level celestial kingdom, sure, I 646 00:32:33,200 --> 00:32:38,080 Speaker 1: mean you sign off the my mind's going blank, the 647 00:32:38,120 --> 00:32:39,800 Speaker 1: permission for people to get into. 648 00:32:39,640 --> 00:32:42,880 Speaker 3: The temple temple recommend. 649 00:32:42,520 --> 00:32:44,760 Speaker 1: You said weekly, you interview a lot of people. To 650 00:32:44,800 --> 00:32:47,800 Speaker 1: get to the celestial Kingdom, you have to do the ordinances, 651 00:32:48,360 --> 00:32:51,040 Speaker 1: which we've learned about today, which is amazing. You have 652 00:32:51,080 --> 00:32:54,160 Speaker 1: to be sealed, baptized for the dad be baptized. These 653 00:32:54,200 --> 00:32:58,160 Speaker 1: are certain works that somebody has to do to enter 654 00:32:58,200 --> 00:32:59,320 Speaker 1: in the celestial Kingdom. 655 00:32:59,880 --> 00:33:02,960 Speaker 4: I put it simply. You know, there's order in God's house. 656 00:33:04,680 --> 00:33:06,680 Speaker 4: I think the simplest way to put If someone were 657 00:33:06,760 --> 00:33:09,680 Speaker 4: to come to my house they wanted to smoke, I 658 00:33:09,680 --> 00:33:12,200 Speaker 4: would ask that they just go outside to smoke, right, 659 00:33:12,480 --> 00:33:13,440 Speaker 4: because I don't. 660 00:33:13,240 --> 00:33:15,720 Speaker 1: Want your house, it's my house. 661 00:33:15,840 --> 00:33:16,560 Speaker 2: It's the same thing. 662 00:33:16,560 --> 00:33:20,120 Speaker 4: And they would do by the way right right, because that's. 663 00:33:20,440 --> 00:33:22,800 Speaker 2: Tracy and I that we would not want, you know, someone, 664 00:33:22,840 --> 00:33:25,880 Speaker 2: but that's okay. Goes need to smoke and smoke outside. 665 00:33:25,880 --> 00:33:27,560 Speaker 4: That sure, and then we'll come back and it's the 666 00:33:27,560 --> 00:33:31,400 Speaker 4: same thing. And that's where we believe covenants are essential, 667 00:33:31,520 --> 00:33:34,360 Speaker 4: these sacred promises that we make, and that's we're reminded 668 00:33:34,360 --> 00:33:35,920 Speaker 4: of them as we go here. 669 00:33:35,920 --> 00:33:36,640 Speaker 2: I partake of the. 670 00:33:36,600 --> 00:33:39,960 Speaker 4: Sacrament, right, we're reminded of the covenants that we've made 671 00:33:40,240 --> 00:33:43,400 Speaker 4: at baptism and in the temple to take his name 672 00:33:43,480 --> 00:33:44,080 Speaker 4: upon us. 673 00:33:44,360 --> 00:33:45,160 Speaker 2: They're essential. 674 00:33:45,480 --> 00:33:48,640 Speaker 4: Another way I describe it, as you know, this covenantal 675 00:33:48,720 --> 00:33:52,720 Speaker 4: love and Hebrew, it's tested. You know, a mother's love 676 00:33:52,760 --> 00:33:56,120 Speaker 4: for their child as you know. I'm sure you're right. 677 00:33:56,160 --> 00:34:00,000 Speaker 4: You and your wife love your children deeply, two of them, 678 00:34:00,120 --> 00:34:04,160 Speaker 4: right to them, two of them. 679 00:34:01,440 --> 00:34:02,720 Speaker 1: And so. 680 00:34:07,160 --> 00:34:13,239 Speaker 4: But that love for you is deep and broad and unbreakable. 681 00:34:13,600 --> 00:34:16,880 Speaker 2: In the fact you your parents love many others. 682 00:34:17,160 --> 00:34:20,080 Speaker 4: But that's different, sure, and it's the same for heavenly 683 00:34:20,120 --> 00:34:22,719 Speaker 4: Father has this coming into love, and so we need 684 00:34:22,760 --> 00:34:25,160 Speaker 4: to obey his commandments, right, and so that's why we 685 00:34:25,239 --> 00:34:28,120 Speaker 4: believe in doing all this, being baptized and going to 686 00:34:28,160 --> 00:34:30,520 Speaker 4: the temple so they can receive that and have those 687 00:34:30,520 --> 00:34:33,560 Speaker 4: promises and have those blessings come into their life. And 688 00:34:33,600 --> 00:34:36,960 Speaker 4: so and yes, we believe in salvation and then ultimately 689 00:34:37,000 --> 00:34:40,279 Speaker 4: exaltation as it says in First Corinthians. Uh, they're also 690 00:34:40,320 --> 00:34:42,640 Speaker 4: there's different degrees of glory that different. 691 00:34:42,880 --> 00:34:45,520 Speaker 1: Kurt, thanks for an awesome tour today. You mentioned earlier 692 00:34:45,520 --> 00:34:47,560 Speaker 1: had a question for me. I said, wait until you 693 00:34:47,560 --> 00:34:49,439 Speaker 1: could ask it on camera. So I have no idea 694 00:34:49,480 --> 00:34:52,359 Speaker 1: what we're going to ask, but the mic is yours. No. 695 00:34:52,400 --> 00:34:56,640 Speaker 5: I I after watching your channel, which I enjoyed and 696 00:34:56,719 --> 00:34:59,400 Speaker 5: I really like the perspective. And like I told you 697 00:34:59,440 --> 00:35:02,879 Speaker 5: earlier when we're are talking that I think your your 698 00:35:03,480 --> 00:35:07,200 Speaker 5: kind of fresh approach. I've really enjoyed that. I guess 699 00:35:07,360 --> 00:35:10,440 Speaker 5: as I question I have for you is you know 700 00:35:10,480 --> 00:35:13,520 Speaker 5: as you are as you and I know you know 701 00:35:13,640 --> 00:35:16,080 Speaker 5: quite a bit about the l d S Church, probably 702 00:35:18,440 --> 00:35:22,520 Speaker 5: through years of your education and training and thoughts, what 703 00:35:22,520 --> 00:35:28,040 Speaker 5: what as you think about your you know, this interaction, 704 00:35:28,719 --> 00:35:32,240 Speaker 5: what was it that? What what is it that you're 705 00:35:32,719 --> 00:35:35,480 Speaker 5: looking for from from this group? What is it? What 706 00:35:35,600 --> 00:35:37,800 Speaker 5: is your intent? You know so much about the church, 707 00:35:38,320 --> 00:35:42,360 Speaker 5: what is this interview? What is it that you hope 708 00:35:42,400 --> 00:35:45,480 Speaker 5: to achieve? And your thoughts? Yeah, what what's in your 709 00:35:45,520 --> 00:35:47,640 Speaker 5: what's in your mind about the LDS Church and about 710 00:35:47,680 --> 00:35:50,919 Speaker 5: the temple and especially now that you've maybe before and after. 711 00:35:52,000 --> 00:35:55,560 Speaker 1: That's a great question. I would say a couple of 712 00:35:55,600 --> 00:35:58,279 Speaker 1: my biggest motivations are. Number One, my son is here 713 00:35:58,320 --> 00:36:00,239 Speaker 1: with me, so I get a chance to spend time 714 00:36:00,239 --> 00:36:03,560 Speaker 1: with him, tour this together. We've done the Hindu temple 715 00:36:03,600 --> 00:36:05,480 Speaker 1: that you said you watched. He came along with me. 716 00:36:05,600 --> 00:36:09,399 Speaker 1: Gives us a chance to talk. Second, I just enjoy it, 717 00:36:10,120 --> 00:36:11,799 Speaker 1: but I do a lot on my channel is talk 718 00:36:11,800 --> 00:36:14,680 Speaker 1: to people who see the world differently, and I really 719 00:36:14,680 --> 00:36:17,120 Speaker 1: hope that I can ask good, thoughtful questions in a 720 00:36:17,160 --> 00:36:21,719 Speaker 1: respectful fashion, and I think most people appreciate that. The 721 00:36:21,760 --> 00:36:24,359 Speaker 1: other thing is I want to learn it from the inside. 722 00:36:24,400 --> 00:36:27,719 Speaker 1: Since nineteen ninety three, when my LDS friend was like, hey, 723 00:36:27,719 --> 00:36:29,520 Speaker 1: you should come to the temple and it just didn't happen, 724 00:36:30,040 --> 00:36:33,880 Speaker 1: I've wanted to see it from the inside. So I think, again, 725 00:36:34,480 --> 00:36:37,080 Speaker 1: I'm not LDS, and I'm I don't have any other 726 00:36:37,120 --> 00:36:39,840 Speaker 1: way to frame it than I just I don't find 727 00:36:39,880 --> 00:36:43,080 Speaker 1: it true or compelling, to be completely honest with you, 728 00:36:43,680 --> 00:36:46,720 Speaker 1: But being in the temple today, one of my takeaways was, Okay, 729 00:36:46,760 --> 00:36:50,840 Speaker 1: I think I get it intellectually and emotional at least 730 00:36:50,880 --> 00:36:53,719 Speaker 1: more than I did. Why people find. 731 00:36:53,520 --> 00:36:56,600 Speaker 5: It can connect some dots on I think that's one 732 00:36:56,600 --> 00:36:59,920 Speaker 5: of the things I've most enjoyed about watching your content 733 00:37:00,160 --> 00:37:02,200 Speaker 5: was that at the end of the day, to me, 734 00:37:02,920 --> 00:37:09,920 Speaker 5: there's I would love the variety in life. I mean, 735 00:37:09,960 --> 00:37:13,399 Speaker 5: I know that we're all here in this we're kind 736 00:37:13,400 --> 00:37:17,359 Speaker 5: of in our boxes and echo chambers, and I think 737 00:37:17,360 --> 00:37:22,200 Speaker 5: that's really unhealthy. I really, I really appreciate and I 738 00:37:22,239 --> 00:37:25,600 Speaker 5: think that what you did in going to those other locations, 739 00:37:25,600 --> 00:37:29,600 Speaker 5: coming to see us today and talking with President Walton today, 740 00:37:29,600 --> 00:37:32,239 Speaker 5: I just I just think it's so we need more 741 00:37:32,280 --> 00:37:35,160 Speaker 5: of that. I realized we're probably there are a lot 742 00:37:35,200 --> 00:37:39,279 Speaker 5: of ways that you know, and not just evangelical Christians 743 00:37:39,360 --> 00:37:43,399 Speaker 5: and and the US as Menners of the LDS Church, 744 00:37:43,680 --> 00:37:48,239 Speaker 5: we're not We're probably just not going to sometimes connect dots. 745 00:37:48,280 --> 00:37:51,960 Speaker 5: And that's okay, And I don't that does not bother me. Yeah, 746 00:37:52,400 --> 00:37:54,560 Speaker 5: I think it's I think it's just beautiful. That's part 747 00:37:54,600 --> 00:37:58,080 Speaker 5: of life. That's beautiful. So I really appreciate that. That's why 748 00:37:58,080 --> 00:38:02,200 Speaker 5: I've enjoyed about your contact is very honest and very 749 00:38:03,400 --> 00:38:05,640 Speaker 5: like you said, truth seeking. I think we need more 750 00:38:05,640 --> 00:38:08,200 Speaker 5: of that. And I think also though on the other hand, 751 00:38:08,239 --> 00:38:11,719 Speaker 5: I will say, I think that we can fall into 752 00:38:11,800 --> 00:38:16,920 Speaker 5: a trap of only looking for where we're we're not 753 00:38:17,160 --> 00:38:19,200 Speaker 5: where we're different. And I think that you probably we 754 00:38:19,239 --> 00:38:23,960 Speaker 5: talked about this. We're DNA wise, uh, you know, creed wise, 755 00:38:24,000 --> 00:38:28,440 Speaker 5: whatever you're there's there are we as humans, whatever your 756 00:38:28,600 --> 00:38:33,359 Speaker 5: faith tradition may be, We're not that far apart. And 757 00:38:33,400 --> 00:38:36,719 Speaker 5: I'm not talking about the Church of Jesus Christ, the 758 00:38:36,800 --> 00:38:40,720 Speaker 5: Latterday Saints versus anybody else comparison, just saying in general, 759 00:38:40,760 --> 00:38:43,160 Speaker 5: I don't care if you're Hindu or whatever it may be. 760 00:38:43,600 --> 00:38:46,960 Speaker 5: We're humans. We all are seeking for higher light, higher 761 00:38:47,000 --> 00:38:53,560 Speaker 5: places of happiness, health, health, and happiness in our lives, 762 00:38:53,640 --> 00:38:57,319 Speaker 5: and so I appreciate their there there are that part 763 00:38:57,360 --> 00:38:57,600 Speaker 5: of it. 764 00:38:57,719 --> 00:38:58,920 Speaker 2: I appreciate you doing that. 765 00:38:59,080 --> 00:39:00,879 Speaker 3: You're saying that, I guess some of. 766 00:39:00,840 --> 00:39:03,560 Speaker 5: There are different. I'm going to say we're not. 767 00:39:03,760 --> 00:39:06,520 Speaker 1: Of course, of course, to sum up time with my son, 768 00:39:06,880 --> 00:39:08,239 Speaker 1: I just find it interesting. 769 00:39:08,600 --> 00:39:09,319 Speaker 3: I want to learn. 770 00:39:09,440 --> 00:39:13,239 Speaker 1: I want to educate people. That's my motivation. And what's 771 00:39:13,239 --> 00:39:16,080 Speaker 1: all said done. I'm an evangelist. You guys knock on 772 00:39:16,120 --> 00:39:18,719 Speaker 1: my door and tell me I should believe in Latter 773 00:39:18,800 --> 00:39:20,839 Speaker 1: Day say it. I don't know, like kudos to you. 774 00:39:21,440 --> 00:39:23,640 Speaker 1: Like the loving thing to do is to tell somebody 775 00:39:23,960 --> 00:39:26,839 Speaker 1: what you think is true. And so there's an evangelist 776 00:39:26,840 --> 00:39:29,160 Speaker 1: to me that hopes people watch this and check out 777 00:39:29,200 --> 00:39:29,839 Speaker 1: what I think is true. 778 00:39:29,920 --> 00:39:33,000 Speaker 2: And it's oh no. 779 00:39:33,120 --> 00:39:37,239 Speaker 4: I was grateful for this opportunity because, as you can tell, 780 00:39:37,320 --> 00:39:41,839 Speaker 4: I don't know the nitty gritty differences between our religions, 781 00:39:42,080 --> 00:39:45,280 Speaker 4: and I was grateful to study a little bit about 782 00:39:45,320 --> 00:39:47,440 Speaker 4: but I still don't know, So that was I was 783 00:39:47,480 --> 00:39:50,160 Speaker 4: grateful to learn. And at some point in this world 784 00:39:50,800 --> 00:39:54,200 Speaker 4: we're both in southern California, I may need you. Right, 785 00:39:54,320 --> 00:39:56,720 Speaker 4: we have what we've We've just made a connection here 786 00:39:57,320 --> 00:40:00,239 Speaker 4: and so we could work together and whatever that it 787 00:40:00,440 --> 00:40:02,600 Speaker 4: is down the road. And that's the way I see. 788 00:40:02,719 --> 00:40:06,359 Speaker 4: All of us have different face, right, we are all interwoven, 789 00:40:07,080 --> 00:40:10,520 Speaker 4: and these connections that we have in our communities and 790 00:40:10,920 --> 00:40:12,840 Speaker 4: around that, we're going to need each other lift each other. 791 00:40:12,800 --> 00:40:14,440 Speaker 3: Up socially and culturally. 792 00:40:14,520 --> 00:40:18,520 Speaker 1: That is a fact, definitely having conservative values that we share. 793 00:40:19,080 --> 00:40:19,879 Speaker 3: Thanks for your time. 794 00:40:20,320 --> 00:40:21,840 Speaker 1: There's a lot of people who'd not be willing to 795 00:40:21,880 --> 00:40:24,160 Speaker 1: sit down with an apologist to just kind of pepper 796 00:40:24,200 --> 00:40:28,080 Speaker 1: them with some questions. Really appreciate that. And this has 797 00:40:28,120 --> 00:40:32,239 Speaker 1: been memorable and I think my audience is gonna take 798 00:40:32,280 --> 00:40:33,840 Speaker 1: a lot away from it. So thanks for doing this. 799 00:40:33,880 --> 00:40:35,400 Speaker 1: And by the way, if you ever like you know what, 800 00:40:35,400 --> 00:40:39,359 Speaker 1: we're having interfaith faith dialogue and need somebody just say 801 00:40:39,440 --> 00:40:44,680 Speaker 1: what he says hopefully and respectfully and in a yeah, 802 00:40:44,800 --> 00:40:47,680 Speaker 1: respectful fashion, I'd be happy to drive back down here 803 00:40:47,760 --> 00:40:49,840 Speaker 1: and be a part of it. I do that anytime. 804 00:40:50,120 --> 00:40:50,960 Speaker 2: Absolutely no. 805 00:40:51,160 --> 00:40:54,440 Speaker 4: I just believe that when we don't have knowledge of 806 00:40:55,239 --> 00:40:58,160 Speaker 4: other people of religions, that's where we can get anxious 807 00:40:58,200 --> 00:41:01,400 Speaker 4: and feel there the different and the divides are bigger 808 00:41:01,440 --> 00:41:04,120 Speaker 4: than they really are. And so I'm grateful to learn 809 00:41:04,480 --> 00:41:08,160 Speaker 4: about what you do and what you believe and strongly 810 00:41:08,239 --> 00:41:11,040 Speaker 4: believe in. I love that about you, and I love 811 00:41:11,120 --> 00:41:14,520 Speaker 4: having this conversation because I'll walk away understanding evangelicals even 812 00:41:14,520 --> 00:41:15,760 Speaker 4: more and even better. 813 00:41:16,120 --> 00:41:16,640 Speaker 2: So thank you. 814 00:41:16,960 --> 00:41:19,640 Speaker 1: Hey friends, if you enjoyed this show, please hit that 815 00:41:19,760 --> 00:41:22,680 Speaker 1: fall button on your podcast app. Most of you tuning 816 00:41:22,719 --> 00:41:25,080 Speaker 1: in haven't done this yet, and it makes a huge 817 00:41:25,120 --> 00:41:27,880 Speaker 1: difference in helping us reach and equip more people and 818 00:41:27,880 --> 00:41:32,280 Speaker 1: build community. And please consider leaving a podcast review. Every 819 00:41:32,480 --> 00:41:35,600 Speaker 1: review helps. Thanks for listening to The Sean McDowell Show, 820 00:41:35,719 --> 00:41:39,560 Speaker 1: brought to you by Talbot School of Theology at Biola University, 821 00:41:39,600 --> 00:41:42,960 Speaker 1: where we have on campus and online programs and apologetic 822 00:41:42,960 --> 00:41:46,239 Speaker 1: spiritual firmation, marriage and family Bible, and so much more. 823 00:41:46,320 --> 00:41:49,320 Speaker 1: We would love to train you to more effectively live, teach, 824 00:41:49,440 --> 00:41:52,239 Speaker 1: and defend the Christian faith today and we will see 825 00:41:52,280 --> 00:41:54,120 Speaker 1: you when the next episode drops.