I was encouraged to share this...
Several months back, I received a letter from my ex-wife's bishop. Here is the letter EXACTLY (minus the omission of some last names) as I received it, including spelling and grammatical errors.
Dear Joshua Hess,
Several months back, I received a letter from my ex-wife's bishop. Here is the letter EXACTLY (minus the omission of some last names) as I received it, including spelling and grammatical errors.
Dear Joshua Hess,
This letter is in regard to Sara C**** a former spouse of yours. As you may already know Sara has remarried civilly and is currently seeking to go to the temple to be sealed to her current spouse, Tyson C****. Where Sara was previously sealed to you, she must go through the application process and receive a cancellation of sealing and submit the information to the First Presidency of the church for approval. Then if a cancellation is granted she will be allowed to proceed with the sealing to her new spouse.
Please promptly reply to this letter and include the following things:
Bishop Boyd Kent Rowe
Pocatello, Idaho
_________________________________________________________________________
After some coercion and the ex-wife using my kids as leverage to make me write the letter, I wrote the following:
TO: Boyd Rowe
Please promptly reply to this letter and include the following things:
- your feelings about this application
- whether the applicant is current in financial obligations
Bishop Boyd Kent Rowe
Pocatello, Idaho
_________________________________________________________________________
After some coercion and the ex-wife using my kids as leverage to make me write the letter, I wrote the following:
TO: Boyd Rowe
RE: Sara C****
Boyd,
My records have been removed from the LDS church, and according to the official letter I received from the membership office in Salt Lake City, Utah, all temple blessings and sealings were removed, as well.
From a traditional biblical Christian perspective, I find it sad that people are still believing and falling for the nonsensical notion of "eternal marriage", "eternal families", and works for the dead. The Bible speaks plainly about such things, and the Book of Mormon even chimes in about it, too.
Jesus said in Matthew 22:29-30 "Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God. For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven."
There is no need for marriage after death because we will be so happy glorifying God that EVERYTHING else will be secondary.
Hebrews 9:27 states "And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment." There is no waiting room or second chance to receive "the gospel" and the "saving ordinances" that are done in the temple. There is not one single mention of any of the LDS churches saving ordinances in the Bible, except for baptism for the dead. Paul mentioned it one time, but when read in context, he is condemning the act. I would encourage you to read 1 Corinthians 15 in context as to who Paul is addressing and why he is addressing them. Also notice the wording he uses. He chose to use "they" instead of "we." If baptizing the dead was something that was supposed to be done, don't you feel Paul would have said "we" meaning all believers?
Hebrews 9:27 states "And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment." There is no waiting room or second chance to receive "the gospel" and the "saving ordinances" that are done in the temple. There is not one single mention of any of the LDS churches saving ordinances in the Bible, except for baptism for the dead. Paul mentioned it one time, but when read in context, he is condemning the act. I would encourage you to read 1 Corinthians 15 in context as to who Paul is addressing and why he is addressing them. Also notice the wording he uses. He chose to use "they" instead of "we." If baptizing the dead was something that was supposed to be done, don't you feel Paul would have said "we" meaning all believers?
Also, in the Book of Mormon... Alma 34:35 "For behold, if ye have procrastinated the day of your repentance even until death, behold, ye have become subjected
to the spirit of the devil, and he doth seal you his; therefore, the
Spirit of the Lord hath withdrawn from you, and hath no place in you,
and the devil hath all power over you; and this is the final state of
the wicked."
Notice the word "final." There are no second chances, thus rendering temple work useless.
No marriage in heaven or during the resurrection, and no second chances. So, why perform acts for people who's fate is sealed according to the Bible and the Book of Mormon.
Since we can only depend on our earthly decisions, how can a person be saved and ensure we get to God? We are taught in Ephesians 2:8-9 "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast."
There is nothing we can "do" to be saved. Nothing in the temple or otherwise that can save us. The Grace of God alone saves us. The Bible even calls our righteous deeds "dirty rags." (Isaiah 64:6) Why would God want our dirty rags? He doesn't.
Why would I care if my ex-wife wants to take part in cult activities with her husband? I am no longer a member of the LDS church because I used the brain God blessed me with and found far too many contradictions in the teachings and practices. If she chooses to reject the Word of God and make false promises in the temple, that is her choice, not mine. She is responsible for her own activities, not me.
Notice the word "final." There are no second chances, thus rendering temple work useless.
No marriage in heaven or during the resurrection, and no second chances. So, why perform acts for people who's fate is sealed according to the Bible and the Book of Mormon.
Since we can only depend on our earthly decisions, how can a person be saved and ensure we get to God? We are taught in Ephesians 2:8-9 "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast."
There is nothing we can "do" to be saved. Nothing in the temple or otherwise that can save us. The Grace of God alone saves us. The Bible even calls our righteous deeds "dirty rags." (Isaiah 64:6) Why would God want our dirty rags? He doesn't.
Why would I care if my ex-wife wants to take part in cult activities with her husband? I am no longer a member of the LDS church because I used the brain God blessed me with and found far too many contradictions in the teachings and practices. If she chooses to reject the Word of God and make false promises in the temple, that is her choice, not mine. She is responsible for her own activities, not me.
Legally,
however, Sara and her husband can not take my children, ***** ****** **** and **** ******* ****, through the temple with them to be sealed
without my permission. I DO NOT AND WILL NOT GIVE MY PERMISSION FOR THEM
TO DO SO!
I would encourage you to research your church. Read the original 1830 version of the Book of Mormon, and compare it to the current version. The differences are too many to disregard. Then read the Bible with the eyes of a child. The Book of Mormon and the Bible do NOT compliment each other. As soon as you read both, you will know.
I will be praying for you and all LDS people to accept the true and living Jesus of the Bible.
God Bless.
I would encourage you to research your church. Read the original 1830 version of the Book of Mormon, and compare it to the current version. The differences are too many to disregard. Then read the Bible with the eyes of a child. The Book of Mormon and the Bible do NOT compliment each other. As soon as you read both, you will know.
I will be praying for you and all LDS people to accept the true and living Jesus of the Bible.
God Bless.
-Josh Hess
North Regional Director
Ephesians 2 Ministry
___________________________________________________________________________
He replied:
___________________________________________________________________________
He replied:
Wow!
This isn’t what you were asked for at all but it’s all that I need to
get Sara and her husband on to eternal bliss. It’s unfortunate that you
have pushed the truth out of your life.
Boyd Rowe
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Of course I couldn't pass up the opportunity to continue this conversation:
Your
letter stated that you needed my feelings about the application. I
shared my feelings about it, and also shared some biblical principals.
It's sad that you are unable to recognize that none of what goes on in the modern LDS temple has anything to do with what went on in the temples of the Bible.
I would be very interested in hearing more about what truth I have pushed out of my life.
It's sad that you are unable to recognize that none of what goes on in the modern LDS temple has anything to do with what went on in the temples of the Bible.
I would be very interested in hearing more about what truth I have pushed out of my life.
Grace and Peace.
-Josh Hess
North Regional Director
Ephesians 2 Ministry____________________________________________________________No response from him as of yet. I do find it interesting, however, that the LDS church requires what they consider an "apostate" to write a letter of permission for an ex-spouse to go to their temple to be sealed to someone else.
Apparently their God isn't big enough to make a decision like that.
Anyone else have similar stories? Please feel free to share them on the Ephesians 2 Ministry Facebook page: www.facebook.com/Ephesians2Ministry
Well said, Josh. Hopefully that seed you planted with bear fruit! God Bless!
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