VernPorter.com

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MY EXPERIENCE EXPLAINS THE TRUTH
                        
The title of this article is a false notion which guides the thinking of my nemesis.

Some of those who fall for this false way of seeing reality have been misled by a false understanding of D&C 9 where the Lord explains to Oliver Cowdery why he failed in his efforts to help Joseph Smith translate the writing on the gold plates into English. Verse eight explains that he must study it out in his mind then ask if the answer he received is right. If it is right he will get a burning in his bosom, then he will feel that it is right. Verse nine tells him that if it is wrong he will get a stupor of thought and he will forget the wrong answer. People who think that verses eight and nine are about inspiration generally, not just translating gold plates, can come to the conclusion that any thought which excites them is revelation.  

My view of reality comes from an intense and prayerful study of our scriptures. My nemesis often introduces his wrong-headed views with the phrase “It has been my experience”. I had to stop setting beside him in priesthood meeting because as I sat trying to listen to the instructor  give his views on the lesson material, my nemesis was busy giving me his views on the lesson material making it difficult to hear the instructpr..

We also get false information on the BYU channel and in church publications from some of our leaders and scholars. On the subject of polygamy and Joseph Smith I often read or hear rumors from church history about the prophet having extra wives spoken of as though the rumors were true, but I never hear of Joseph’s denial in the Joseph Smith history of the church where he complains about those false rumors. There is no doubt that Joseph had extra wives sealed to him for his enjoyment in the Celestial Kingdom, but not for his mortal life. The fact that our leaders can promote the idea that Celestial beings can be polygamists while the Book of Mormon declares polygamy a whoredom for mortal men goes to show that they think we will believe anything they tell us. It should be no surprise that they are asking us to believe that Joseph was a polygamist and that he had the right to be having sexual relations with plural wives while it would be adultery for the rest of us mortals.

I want you to know that I sustain our general authorities because I believe D&C 112:12-13 where the quorum of twelve are admonished for their sins and promised that the Lord would eventually feel after them and if they harden not their hearts and stiffen not their necks against Him He would heal them and they would be converted. I remember as a missionary criticizing the churches that baptize infants, but it wasn’t long after arriving in Utah that we, as a church, began giving the sacrament to infants in spite of what it says in D&C 20:68.

Back in the 1970s every stake had a quorum of Seventy and I was serving as one of the seven president in our stake. When I noticed how much influence racists and polygamists had in our stake I felt the need to figure out why. I studied every conference talk by Brigham Young recorded in the 26 volume set of the Journal of Discourses and I was so outraged that I left the church for 25 years. It took some powerful dreams to get me to consider coming back. My heart was softened by my four year old granddaughter setting on my lap singing “I Am a Child of God” to open my eyes to what a bad example I was setting for my family.

When I was rebaptized I became active in the church again. A year later I was invited to ask to have my blessings restored. I was   required to submit a letter to the stake president which he passed on to the general authorities. A Few weeks later a general authority came out, laid his hands on my head in order to restore my blessings and I was once again an Elder as though I had never left the church.

As I began bearing my testimony of the event I described my reasons for leaving and what it took to bring me back. Only one person came up to me and complained about my testimony. It was my nemesis, of course, and he also spoke out against me at High Priest  group meetings. His first public complaint against me was about my letters to the editor of the Elk Grove Citizen newspaper. I wrote for the Citizen for about two years and quit in order to spend more time writing my second book. Those folks who liked my reporting were pleased when I started writingt letters to the editor, so I made it a point to announce in priesthood meeting every time one of my letters was published. My nemesis felt the need to privately show me how he dealt with writing about controversy. He had a very polite way of telling peole they were wrong. When I continued writing letters in my usual forthright style my nemesis told the High Priests group that “Vern’s letters are too confrontational”.

In 1833 at a time when the Lord was very pleased with the saints He called them his friends and told them in D&C 88:63-64 to ask and you shall receive that is expedient for you. Those who read on through verse 65 will discover that we are warned that if we ask for that which is not expedient for us it shall turn to our condemnation. It was Joseph’s interest in polygamy that led to his martyrdom. Get out your Book of Mormon and look in the index for “whoredom”. Go to the second chapter of Jacob if you have any doubts about what is meant by whoredom. Now, ask yourself if those who speak out against me are angry at me for speaking out against polygamy. Pray that D&C112:12-13 is still true.MY EXPERIENCE EXPLAINS THE TRUTH
                        
The title of this article is a false notion which guides the thinking of my nemesis. Some of those who fall for this false way of seeing reality have been misled by a false understanding of D&C 9 where the Lord explains to Oliver Cowdery why he failed in his efforts to help Joseph Smith translate the writing on the gold plates into English. Verse eight explains that he must study it out in his mind then ask if the answer he received is right. If it is right he will get a burning in his bosom, then he will feel that it is right. Verse nine tells him that if it is wrong he will get a stupor of thought and he will forget the wrong answer. People who think that verses eight and nine are about inspiration generally, not just translating gold plates, can come to the conclusion that any thought which excites them is revelation.  

My view of reality comes from an intense and prayerful study of our scriptures. My nemesis often introduces his wrong-headed views with the phrase “It has been my experience”. I had to stop setting beside him in priesthood meeting because as I sat trying to listen to the instructor  give his views on the lesson material, my nemesis was busy giving me his views on the lesson material making it difficult to hear the instructpr..

We also get false information on the BYU channel and in church publications from some of our leaders and scholars. On the subject of polygamy and Joseph Smith I often read or hear rumors from church history about the prophet having extra wives spoken of as though the rumors were true, but I never hear of Joseph’s denial in the Joseph Smith history of the church where he complains about those false rumors. There is no doubt that Joseph had extra wives sealed to him for his enjoyment in the Celestial Kingdom, but not for his mortal life. The fact that our leaders can promote the idea that Celestial beings can be polygamists while the Book of Mormon declares polygamy a whoredom for mortal men goes to show that they think we will believe anything they tell us. It should be no surprise that they are asking us to believe that Joseph was a polygamist and that he had the right to be having sexual relations with plural wives while it would be adultery for the rest of us mortals.

I want you to know that I sustain our general authorities because I believe D&C 112:12-13 where the quorum of twelve are admonished for their sins and promised that the Lord would eventually feel after them and if they harden not their hearts and stiffen not their necks against Him He would heal them and they would be converted. I remember as a missionary criticizing the churches that baptize infants, but it wasn’t long after arriving in Utah that we, as a church, began giving the sacrament to infants in spite of what it says in D&C 20:68.

Back in the 1970s every stake had a quorum of Seventy and I was serving as one of the seven president in our stake. When I noticed how much influence racists and polygamists had in our stake I felt the need to figure out why. I studied every conference talk by Brigham Young recorded in the 26 volume set of the Journal of Discourses and I was so outraged that I left the church for 25 years. It took some powerful dreams to get me to consider coming back. My heart was softened by my four year old granddaughter setting on my lap singing “I Am a Child of God” to open my eyes to what a bad example I was setting for my family.

When I was rebaptized I became active in the church again. A year later I was invited to ask to have my blessings restored. I was   required to submit a letter to the stake president which he passed on to the general authorities. A Few weeks later a general authority came out, laid his hands on my head in order to restore my blessings and I was once again an Elder as though I had never left the church.

As I began bearing my testimony of the event I described my reasons for leaving and what it took to bring me back. Only one person came up to me and complained about my testimony. It was my nemesis, of course, and he also spoke out against me at High Priest  group meetings. His first public complaint against me was about my letters to the editor of the Elk Grove Citizen newspaper. I wrote for the Citizen for about two years and quit in order to spend more time writing my second book. Those folks who liked my reporting were pleased when I started writingt letters to the editor, so I made it a point to announce in priesthood meeting every time one of my letters was published. My nemesis felt the need to privately show me how he dealt with writing about controversy. He had a very polite way of telling peole they were wrong. When I continued writing letters in my usual forthright style my nemesis told the High Priests group that “Vern’s letters are too confrontational”.

In 1833 at a time when the Lord was very pleased with the saints He called them his friends and told them in D&C 88:63-64 to ask and you shall receive that is expedient for you. Those who read on through verse 65 will discover that we are warned that if we ask for that which is not expedient for us it shall turn to our condemnation. It was Joseph’s interest in polygamy that led to his martyrdom. Get out your Book of Mormon and look in the index for “whoredom”. Go to the second chapter of Jacob if you have any doubts about what is meant by whoredom. Now, ask yourself if those who speak out against me are angry at me for speaking out against polygamy. Pray that D&C112:12-13 is still true.