Mike Scheffer
Temple, Texas
Back on the Solid Rock of Christ for Good
I grew up in a Christian church, while my wife Jacki grew up in the RLDS church. Her mother's side of the family has been in the RLDS church for a number of generations. We met in college and Jacki immediately began telling me about her church, her testimonies, and the fact that it is the only "true" church of Christ. Being told that can immediately put some fear in you, which is not a good way to start a relationship with a new church or Christ. Believing in Christ brings joy and peace - not fear. Remember the Scripture that "perfect love casts out all fear."
Jacki telling me about her church was all very fascinating to me. Unfortunately, I was like most kids I knew in that I had gone to church as a kid growing up, but never learned and studied the Bible so that I would have a solid grasp of God's word. When this is the case, it's very easy to be lead captive by false doctrines. One of the many good points made in Paul Trask's book is that you have to know the "real" thing before you can spot a counterfeit. When people are trained to detect counterfeit money, the first thing they are taught is what a real dollar bill looks like. Likewise, the only sure and quick way to detect a false religion or a false teacher is to have a solid grasp on God's only true word...the Bible. When you have this, the falsehoods show up immediately, and stand out.
I joined the RLDS church about a year after we were married, mostly at the request of Jacki. I didn't feel any particularly strong inclination to join until she asked me about it, and I wanted to please her. There was more to it than that, of course. I had been swayed in my mind and when asked by an elder what my testimony was of the Book of Mormon, I said I just believed it. I hadn't even read the whole book through.
Jacki began praying that the Lord would give me a testimony of the book of Mormon, but it never came. I heard many people say that as they read the book of Mormon they "felt" a burning in their bossom that it was true. I never felt that, and wondered why I didn't. Jacki had never questioned its authenticity, as it was the only thing she ever knew or was taught.
There were numerous things and situations that took place over the years that made me question why I believed what I did...so many that would be worthwhile mentioning, but space won't allow here. I'll mention a few.
1) I felt like I was being attacked spiritually when I attended services. As time went by, I found myself reading more and more from the Bible, and less from the D&C and book of Mormon. The Bible strengthened my faith. When I went to Sunday service, many things were said that didn't agree with what I had been reading. I often left church feeling like I had been in a spirtual fight, and lost. I would mention this to Jacki, citing specific examples, and her answer was that she just ignores the things that are said that she knows aren't right. We would justify going to church by saying things like "there are incorrect things preached at every church and denomination in America." The things I was hearing, however, were terrible distortions of God's word, not just small insignificant errors.
2) After hearing for years that many wonderful things had been done by God in the past, and were still being done; and after hearing many people "prophesy" that things would happen and they NEVER did; and even hear other people point out what certain things said in the Bible, but which the RLDS didn't believe (such as how to obtain salvation), I had more and more doubts. I also observed RLDS members practicing certain occult things which didn't put any faith in Christ at all. To me, my beliefs began unraveling.
3) As I had more questions, I noticed that people stayed away from me and my family. We spent a number of years trying different branches, thinking for sure that we could find one in which we felt was right. But we didn't. More and more it seemed there was no true Spirit of Christ in Joseph Smith's churches.
Thankfully, Jacki read and studied a lot. This would help us later on when I got a hold of the book by Paul Trask and the book by Carol Hansen.
In an effort to allow me to lead our family in spiritual things, Jacki allowed me to decide where to go to church. We tried a number of different churches. We attended two different Baptist churches before we moved away from the Kansas City area. We started with a Baptist church in our new location, and even tried some others just to learn more about different churches. It was a real struggle. Other churches worshipped in such different ways than we were used to. Plus, Jacki wasn't at all convinced yet that the RLDS wasn't the true church of Christ.
While searching the Internet one day, I came upon the web sites by Mr. Trask and Ms. Hansen designed to help people in the RLDS church that are having doubts. I immediately bought the two books I've already mentioned. Jacki started on Mr. Trask's book, while I first read Ms. Hansen's book. I had been in limbo about what to do for many years now.
After reading just a little bit, I was firmly convinced that the RLDS church was not Christ's true church. I used to think there were only a few things that were different between the RLDS and mainstream Christian churches, but I soon realized the differences were many, and of eternal significance. What was a real surprise to me was that it didn't take too much of me talking to Jacki about it, and some reading on her part, before she realized she had been wrong. See, all along, all the studying she had done looking for the truth had finally paid off. She told me that she had had doubts when she read certain things in the book of Mormon and D&C in the past, but had never really tied things together. Knowing what she knew, it was easy for her to follow the evidence in these two books. She had never told me about her doubts, but had always defended the RLDS church strongly.
The amount of evidence for support of the Bible as God's true word, and against support of the RLDS church and it's books is incredible. I honestly believe that anyone who truly wants to know the truth about the Bible, and about Joseph Smith and his church(s), no matter what the cost,will come to the same conclusion that I and Jacki have...that the Bible is God's only inerrant word, and that Joseph Smith's teachings are false and deceiving.
Knowing what we know now has also firmly established us in a right relationship with Jesus Christ, and given us His peace. Jesus died "once for all" as it says in Hebrews. For salvation, we have to rely wholly on what Jesus has done for us. The things I've learned through Bible study, even since reading these two books, have made me wonder how I could have ever believed what I did.
While there are many more things that I could say, what I'd really like to suggest is studying the two books that I've mentioned a few times already. The amount of information that has been compiled for anyone to study has been such a great help to me. It's what finally turned the tide for both my wife and I toward being firmly grounded in our faith in Jesus Christ. I came into the RLDS church not knowing much of God's word, and I've left once I finally knew God's word. It's absolutely the most liberating sense a person can have. I encourage you to find this truth out for yourself. Don't just take what I have to say. Don't wait! God will be with you, and God loves you.
Mike Scheffer
You can send Mike an email at mscheffer@swmail.sw.org