FairMormon

Missed the 2018 FairMormon Conference?
You can still purchase the video streaming!

 

Conversion

“Cease to Sleep Longer Than Is Needful” (Stories of the Saints in the DR Congo Part 7)

by Leave a Comment

Family and friends of Luvualu Mwinza David and Ndotoni Josephine

Author’s note: This series shares stories about members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Each story is framed in the context of a Christlike attribute. This article is adapted and expanded from part 7 of a presentation given at the FairMormon 2018 Conference.

As I think about the faithful Congolese Saints, I realize that what I love the most is that they take the Gospel seriously. For them, the Gospel is not simply a part of life, it istheir life, their hope, and their joy.

Not long before the end of our mission, I met with a Congolese church leader who is a great example of devotion and diligence. He had scheduled another meeting later that morning. He called the Congolese brother who was in charge of this meeting to confirm the time. But the brother told my friend that he had just returned to Kinshasa by plane and for that reason had had to cancel the meeting.

After my friend hung up, he gave the situation some more thought. He realized that it couldn’t be true that this brother had justreturned to Kinshasa because there were no flights that morning. He must have come back the night before. Because this brother had returned the night before there was no reason he couldn’t have been available for the meeting that morning. My friend called him again and took him to task for having canceled the meeting.

I felt compassion for the brother who had been corrected. But I also felt the power of the sincerity and earnestness with which my friend had spoken. D&C 121:43 speaks of “reproving betimes with sharpness, when moved upon by the Holy Ghost.” According to Elder H. Burke Peterson, this “means reproving with clarity, with loving firmness, with serious intent. It does not mean reproving with sarcasm, or with bitterness, or with clenched teeth and raised voice. One who reproves as the Lord has directed deals in principles, not personalities.” Among other things, my friend had said in a spirit of love and inspiration, with directness and without guile: “You like to sleep too much. You cannot sleep when the work of the Lord awaits you.”

 

The video version of the entire FairMormon presentation is available on the FairMormon YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJl9FvLKmjw

The article relating to this story can be found at the Interpreter Foundation website: “Cease to Sleep Longer Than Is Needful” — Stories of the Saints in the DR Congo, Part 7

If you would like to watch the other presentations from the 2018 FairMormon Conference, you can still purchase video streaming.

“Abound in Hope” (Stories of the Saints in the DR Congo Part 6)

by Leave a Comment

Family of Luvualu Mwinza David and Ndotoni Josephine

Author’s note: This series shares six stories about members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Each story is framed in the context of a Christlike attribute. This article with examples of hope is an adapted and expanded from part 6 of a presentation given at the FairMormon 2018 Conference.

This story is fascinating account of joy, but even more so one of hope. Luvualu Mwinza David, a skilled tailor of men’s and women’s clothing, is totally blind in both eyes. The Lord gave Him hope by multiplying his talents, finding a fitting companion, introducing him to the Church, and giving him a firm assurance in the promise of eternal life.

The video version of the entire FairMormon presentation is available on the FairMormon YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJl9FvLKmjw

The article relating to this story can be found at the Interpreter Foundation website: “Abound in Hope” — Stories of the Saints in the DR Congo, Part 6

If you would like to watch the other presentations from the 2018 FairMormon Conference, you can still purchase video streaming.

“Continue in Humility” (Stories of the Saints in the DR Congo Part 5)

by Leave a Comment

Norman Kamosi

Author’s note: This series shares six stories about members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Each story is framed in the context of a Christlike attribute. This article with examples of humility is an adapted and expanded from part 5 of a presentation given at the FairMormon 2018 Conference.

As I think about the many steps, each one small but necessary, that have been required to prepare the Church in the DR Congo for a temple, I remember the scripture: “Out of small things proceedeth that which is great.”

The story of Norman and Jinky Kamosi describes one of those steps, made possible by events that the Lord had put in motion decades beforehand.

The video version of the entire FairMormon presentation is available on the FairMormon YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJl9FvLKmjw

The article relating to this story can be found at the Interpreter Foundation website: “Continue in Humility” — Stories of the Saints in the DR Congo, Part 5

If you would like to watch the other presentations from the 2018 FairMormon Conference, you can still purchase video streaming.

“With All Diligence” (Stories of the Saints in the DR Congo Part 4)

by Leave a Comment

Author’s note: This series shares six stories about members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Each story is framed in the context of a Christlike attribute. This article with examples of diligence in family history work is an adapted and expanded from part 4 of a presentation given at the FairMormon 2018 Conference.

Family history work in places like the DR Congo calls for a particular kind of diligence. This story illustrates the quiet work the institutional Church and the local Saints are doing on an impressively large scale to preserve vanishing family records.

The video version of the entire FairMormon presentation is available on the FairMormon YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJl9FvLKmjw

The article relating to this story can be found at the Interpreter Foundation website: “With All Diligence” — Stories of the Saints in the DR Congo, Part 4

If you would like to watch the other presentations from the 2018 FairMormon Conference, you can still purchase video streaming.

Jaxon Washburn – Interfaith Work, and Being called on a Mission

by Leave a Comment

Podcast: Download (49.6MB)

Subscribe: Android | RSS

Jaxon Washburn is a remarkable young man that has done a great deal of outreach work as part of being on interfaith councils, and other organizations that support religious practice. His story is unusual in that, while Jaxon was raised for the first 12 years in what he describes as a traditional Latter-day Saint household, following his mother’s decision to leave the Church, he began to live a sort of double religious life studying and experiencing two different faith traditions on a regular basis.

Jaxon also shares how previous FairMormon Podcasts were instrumental in helping him to navigate his faith crisis and come to a testimony of the truth claims of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Having faithful and scholarly answers to critical questions provided him with a path through his questions, and have answers where anti-mormon literature was suffocating and depressing.

This unique experience led Jaxon to study many of the worlds religions, and, like Joseph Smith, found himself with the designs of finding out which of all the sects was the one God wanted him to align himself. Through considerable study, including listening to some past podcasts by host Nick Galieti for the FairMormon organization, Jaxon felt that he had gained a testimony of the truthfulness of the Restored Gospel, of its claims to prophetic leadership and the validity of the Book of Mormon as Scripture.

Arizona Interfaith Council - Jaxon Washburn
Some members of the Arizona Interfaith Council – including Jaxon Washburn

Jaxon came to the decision to place on hold his religious studies path in the halls of higher learning to serve a mission. In this episode he announces where he has been called, as well as some of the pilot program that he is involved with regarding language learning through the MTC. This episode features an powerful story of love, the importance of study in coming to a conversion, as well as the remarkable ways that life experience can guide us in the path that leads us back to our Heavenly Father.

Jaxon on the World Religion and Tolerance Club
Jaxon (and other students) in the World Religion and Tolerance Club

To learn more about the mission where Jaxon will be serving his mission – click here.

“Obey … With Exactness” (Stories of the Saints in the DR Congo Part 3)

by Leave a Comment

Author’s note: This series shares six stories about members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Each story is framed in the context of a Christlike attribute. This article with examples of obedience is an adapted and expanded from part 3 of a presentation given at the FairMormon 2018 Conference.

The Congolese saints are on the whole a faithful and obedient people. This is epitomized in the fact that, according to Elder Joni Koch, the DR Congo Kinshasa mission is not only among the fastest growing in the world, but also has the highest rate of sacrament meeting attendance — double the percentage of a typical stake in the United States. Quiet evidence of this faithfulness and devotion is to be found everywhere.

The video version of the entire FairMormon presentation is available on the FairMormon YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJl9FvLKmjw

The article relating to this story can be found at the Interpreter Foundation website: “Obey … With Exactness” — Stories of the Saints in the DR Congo, Part 3

If you would like to watch the other presentations from the 2018 FairMormon Conference, you can still purchase video streaming.

Charity: “The Greatest of All” (Stories of the Saints in the DR Congo Part 2)

by Leave a Comment

This series shares six stories about members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Each story is framed in the context of a Christlike attribute. This article with examples of charity is an adapted and expanded from part 2 of a presentation given at the FairMormon 2018 Conference.

The video version of the entire FairMormon presentation is available on the FairMormon YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJl9FvLKmjw

The article relating to this story can be found at the Interpreter Foundation website: Charity: “The Greatest of All” — Stories of the Saints in the DR Congo, Part 2

If you would like to watch the other presentations from the 2018 FairMormon Conference, you can still purchase video streaming.

Da and Angélique Tarr: The Power of Faith (Stories of the Saints in the DR Congo Part 1)

by Leave a Comment

Da and Angélique hold a Family Home Evening on the porch with their daughter Messah after their return to Monrovia, Liberia in 1992

 

This series shares six stories about members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Each story is framed in the context of a Christlike attribute. The story of Da and Angélique Tarr is an adapted and expanded from part 1 of a presentation given at the FairMormon 2018 Conference.

The video version of the entire FairMormon presentation is available on the FairMormon YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJl9FvLKmjw

The article relating to this story can be found at the Interpreter Foundation website: Da and Angélique Tarr: The Power of Faith
Stories of the Saints in the DR Congo, Part 1

If you would like to watch the other presentations from the 2018 FairMormon Conference, you can still purchase video streaming.

Book Review: 1,001 Facts About the Prophet Joseph Smith

by Leave a Comment

Available at a discount from the FairMormon bookstore

This is a short (151 pages) paperback book that contains 1,001 numbered paragraphs that chronologically narrate the life of Joseph Smith, essentially constituting a simple biography. “One of the main goals of this book is to tell the real story, while making it simple to read and understand. 1,001 Facts about the Prophet Joseph Smith is a history book for this generation. The entire book can be read in one sitting, or readers can jump around to different moments in the prophet’s life and learn about their favorite and the more fascinating events” (page 2). The author also intends the book to combat the anti-Mormon propaganda being spread on the Internet.

Here are several examples from the book that I thought were of interest: [Read more…] about Book Review: 1,001 Facts About the Prophet Joseph Smith

Conversion Story, MTC (Mormon.org) Missionary, and a Stake President – LDS MissionCast Podcast

by

Podcast: Download (94.6MB)

Subscribe: Android | RSS

Geoffrey Allen - LDS MissionCast - Mormon Convert
Geoffrey Allen (Guest – via FaceTime)

This week’s episode is a listener generated story that involves a convert, an MTC Missionary from the Mormon.org referral center, a ministering Stake President, and so much more. This episode shows the perpetual motion that missionary work can have throughout the world. I received this email from recent convert, Geoffrey Allen, that reads:

“I listened to your most recent podcast with Sister Bringhurst and loved it. At one point I thought I was going to get a good story about the MTC missionaries, but she didn’t have one. I’d love to hear one, as the MTC missionaries from mormon.org played a vital role in my conversion 188 days ago. I’m still in contact with that missionary, now returned. I have an odd story that I believe is a testament to Heavenly Father’s Divine Guidance and includes both MTC and field missionaries. I probably make it much longer than it needs to be, but I believe the MTC missionary who helped bring me to conversion has an exceptional story to tell that includes illness, missed missionary callings, and early returns. If you’d like to talk to her I’d be happy to ask her. She has quite the story and is a very special person. My family is lucky to have “met” her.”

Emma Wageman - MTC Missionary Cancer
Sister Emma Wageman – During cancer treatment

Emma Wageman Mormon.org referral center missionary
Sister Emma Wageman – Post Cancer Treatment

Nick Galieti and Emma Wageman LDS MissionCast Podcast
Nick Galieti (host) and Sister Emma Wageman (guest)

I exchanged a few more emails and spent some time arranging the multiple guests that we have on this show. We will first hear from the man that sent this email to me, Geoffrey Allen, to get his inspiring conversion story. His story is filled with the challenges encountering questions about various gospel topics and doctrines, and how he was able to find peace through prayer and study. Following Brother Allen, we will hear from Sister Emma Wageman, the missionary referred to in his email who has an incredible story of her own, that fills out this wonderful example of the hand of the Lord guiding this work. Finally, we will hear from Geoffrey’s Stake President, David Hollandwho is just one of the many people that have played a part in bringing Geoffrey into the church. It was a joy to learn of this story and I hope you are able to find inspiration in us sharing that story in this episode of the podcast.

David F. Holland - LDS MissionCast Mormon Missionary Podcast
Stake President and Harvard Divinity School Professor – David F. Holland

Thank you for listening to LDS MissionCast, we hope you enjoyed this episode. Select episodes of the LDS MissionCast Podcast can be heard through the FairMormon Podcast stream. Please subscribe to the FairMormon Podcast by clicking here.