Back To Your Regularly Scheduled Journal Entries...Day 188 10/02/06

Today we went by J's house for our 2 o'clock appointment. He was home!

Happy Thing for Day 188: Our lesson with J. We asked him if he was able to watch any of conference. He said that he had watched some with n. "Very good sermons," he said.

J is a deep thinker. He asked us some questions: "Why do we believe in God?" (J does believe in God. He just wanted to hear what position our church took on the subject) My companion read in Alma where Korihor is going around preaching that there is no God and no Christ. Alma confronts him and Korihor says to Alma in Alma 30:43, "It thou wilt show me a sign, that I may be convinced that there is a God, yea, show unto me that he hath power, and then will I be convinced of the truth of thy words." "J, will you read the next verse", my companion asked. "But Alma said unto him: Thou hast had signs enough; will yet tempt your God? Will ye say, show unto me a sign when you have the testimony of all these brethren and also all the holy prophets? The scriptures are laid before thee, yea, and all things denote there is a God; yea, even the earth, and all the things that are upon the face of it, yea, and its motion, yea and also the plants which move in their regular form do witness that there is a Supreme Creator." "Very good," J said.

Then N came in with baby J. She sat down and joined us. "I loved it," she said. I cried when it was over. I did not want it to end."

J said that he had been reading a bit out of 3rd Nephi. I love it when investigators read from the Book of Mormon. It's so important in the conversion process. When you read scripture you feel the Spirit.

J had some questions regarding the Trinity. N has been working with him in trying to explain that Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father are two separate beings. One in PURPOSE, but not the same person. J read some of 3rd Nephi 11. Thees are the verses where we read about the Saviors visit to the American continent and instructs them how to baptize. What got J hung up on was 3rd Nephi 11:27. "For, behold, verily I say unto you, that the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost are one; and I am the Father and the Father in me and the Father and I are one." 3rd Nephi 11:36 "...for the Father, and I and the Holy Ghost are one."

"It's very confusing for me," said J, "because I am trying to understand whether or not there is a Trinity."

I shared with J 3rd Nephi 27:27 "...what manner of men ought ye to be? Verily I say unto you even as I am." At the time I didn't know why I felt prompted to share that scripture with Joseph. It didn't really have anything to do with the Trinity.

J then read aloud the next verse. (3rd Nephi 27:28) "And now I go unto the Father. And verily I say unto you, whatsoever things ye shall ask the Father in my name shall be given unto you."

"This verse explains it!" J said. "To get to the Father, you have to go through Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the mediator. Whatever things ye ask the Father in my name...in my name. They are not the same person. There is no Trinity."

J likes our meetings together. "It opens up my mind," he said. J is progressing nicely. Now we just need to get him to come to church.