Joseph Smith Teaches that Jesus Christ is the Rock Upon Which Youth and Adults Must Build Their Foundation

[ParkerD]

Hello to all.

This thread is provided as a response to a question that was somewhat off topic for another thread where the question was posted. I was asked how Joseph Smith taught about Christ being the Rock and foundation for the church and its people.

A father in the New World in about 30 BC taught his sons these important teachings about the foundation they should build for their lives:

(Helaman 5)

6 Behold, my sons, I desire that ye should remember to keep the commandments of God; and I would that ye should declare unto the people these words. Behold, I have given unto you the names of our first parents who came out of the land of Jerusalem; and this I have done that when you remember your names ye may remember them; and when ye remember them ye may remember their works; and when ye remember their works ye may know how that it is said, and also written, that they were good.
7 Therefore, my sons, I would that ye should do that which is good, that it may be said of you, and also written, even as it has been said and written of them.
8 And now my sons, behold I have somewhat more to desire of you, which desire is, that ye may not do these things that ye may boast, but that ye may do these things to lay up for yourselves a treasure in heaven, yea, which is eternal, and which fadeth not away; yea, that ye may have that precious gift of eternal life, which we have reason to suppose hath been given to our fathers.
9 O remember, remember, my sons, the words which king Benjamin spake unto his people; yea, remember that there is no other way nor means whereby man can be saved, only through the atoning blood of Jesus Christ, who shall come; yea, remember that he cometh to redeem the world.
10 And remember also the words which Amulek spake unto Zeezrom, in the city of Ammonihah; for he said unto him that the Lord surely should come to redeem his people, but that he should not come to redeem them in their sins, but to redeem them from their sins.
11 And he hath power given unto him from the Father to redeem them from their sins because of repentance; therefore he hath sent his angels to declare the tidings of the conditions of repentance, which bringeth unto the power of the Redeemer, unto the salvation of their souls.
12 And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.
13 And it came to pass that these were the words which Helaman taught to his sons; yea, he did teach them many things which are not written, and also many things which are written.

Peace to all. Have a beautiful day.

 

[Mark77]

**10% of the Truth is better than no Truth, but 100% of the Truth is what Jesus wants for us!

The Fullness of Truth can only be found in the One, Holy, Catholic & Apostolic Church Jesus founded 2000 years ago, not in a group founded by a man named Joseph Smith in the 1800’s which teaches many false doctrines!**

Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, Ora Pro Nobis Peccatoribus!

mark

 

[PJM]

=ParkerD;6595258]Hello to all.

This thread is provided as a response to a question that was somewhat off topic for another thread where the question was posted. I was asked how Joseph Smith taught about Christ being the Rock and foundation for the church and its people.

A father in the New World in about 30 BC taught his sons these important teachings about the foundation they should build for their lives:

(Helaman 5)

6 Behold, my sons, I desire that ye should remember to keep the commandments of God; and I would that ye should declare unto the people these words. Behold, I have given unto you the names of our first parents who came out of the land of Jerusalem; and this I have done that when you remember your names ye may remember them; and when ye remember them ye may remember their works; and when ye remember their works ye may know how that it is said, and also written, that they were good.
7 Therefore, my sons, I would that ye should do that which is good, that it may be said of you, and also written, even as it has been said and written of them.
8 And now my sons, behold I have somewhat more to desire of you, which desire is, that ye may not do these things that ye may boast, but that ye may do these things to lay up for yourselves a treasure in heaven, yea, which is eternal, and which fadeth not away; yea, that ye may have that precious gift of eternal life, which we have reason to suppose hath been given to our fathers.
9 O remember, remember, my sons, the words which king Benjamin spake unto his people; yea, remember that there is no other way nor means whereby man can be saved, only through the atoning blood of Jesus Christ, who shall come; yea, remember that he cometh to redeem the world.
10 And remember also the words which Amulek spake unto Zeezrom, in the city of Ammonihah; for he said unto him that the Lord surely should come to redeem his people, but that he should not come to redeem them in their sins, but to redeem them from their sins.
11 And he hath power given unto him from the Father to redeem them from their sins because of repentance; therefore he hath sent his angels to declare the tidings of the conditions of repentance, which bringeth unto the power of the Redeemer, unto the salvation of their souls.
12 And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.
13 And it came to pass that these were the words which Helaman taught to his sons; yea, he did teach them many things which are not written, and also many things which are written.

Peace to all. Have a beautiful day.

***This is beautiful. THANKS!

As a Catholic I have NO ISSUES on Mormon morality. However, in that your church does not accept Christ as “The Son of God; Second Person in the Blessed Trinity,” it seems SIGNIFIANT to point this out. Your church correctly holds Chrsit as a Good man, and a Prophet; BUT, INCORRECTLY AS NOT GOD.":***thumbsup:

 

[ParkerD]

***This is beautiful. THANKS!

As a Catholic I have NO ISSUES on Mormon morality. However, in that your church does not accept Christ as “The Son of God; Second Person in the Blessed Trinity,” it seems SIGNIFICANT to point this out. Your church correctly holds Christ as a Good man, and a Prophet; BUT, INCORRECTLY AS NOT GOD.":***thumbsup:

PJM,
It would be important for you to know that the LDS church teaches very clearly and specifically that Christ is God the Son, a Separate Person from God the Father. Christ is Alpha and Omega, the Word who was made flesh, Immanuel, God with us; the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; the Holy One of Israel; the Lamb slain for the sins of mankind on condition of repentance.

Perhaps you had some other religion in mind when you wrote the comment you wrote, or had heard something that was incorrect from someone who didn’t know what they were talking about.

Have a good day.

 

[dnu]

Too bad that wasn’t really written in 30 b.c. by a North American Indian.

 

[lax16]

Hello to all.

This thread is provided as a response to a question that was somewhat off topic for another thread where the question was posted. I was asked how Joseph Smith taught about Christ being the Rock and foundation for the church and its people.A father in the New World in about 30 BC taught his sons these important teachings about the foundation they should build for their lives:

(Helaman 5)

6 Behold, my sons, I desire that ye should remember to keep the commandments of God; and I would that ye should declare unto the people these words. Behold, I have given unto you the names of our first parents who came out of the land of Jerusalem; and this I have done that when you remember your names ye may remember them; and when ye remember them ye may remember their works; and when ye remember their works ye may know how that it is said, and also written, that they were good.
7 Therefore, my sons, I would that ye should do that which is good, that it may be said of you, and also written, even as it has been said and written of them.
8 And now my sons, behold I have somewhat more to desire of you, which desire is, that ye may not do these things that ye may boast, but that ye may do these things to lay up for yourselves a treasure in heaven, yea, which is eternal, and which fadeth not away; yea, that ye may have that precious gift of eternal life, which we have reason to suppose hath been given to our fathers.
9 O remember, remember, my sons, the words which king Benjamin spake unto his people; yea, remember that there is no other way nor means whereby man can be saved, only through the atoning blood of Jesus Christ, who shall come; yea, remember that he cometh to redeem the world.
10 And remember also the words which Amulek spake unto Zeezrom, in the city of Ammonihah; for he said unto him that the Lord surely should come to redeem his people, but that he should not come to redeem them in their sins, but to redeem them from their sins.
11 And he hath power given unto him from the Father to redeem them from their sins because of repentance; therefore he hath sent his angels to declare the tidings of the conditions of repentance, which bringeth unto the power of the Redeemer, unto the salvation of their souls.
12 And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.
13 And it came to pass that these were the words which Helaman taught to his sons; yea, he did teach them many things which are not written, and also many things which are written.

Peace to all. Have a beautiful day.

Parker - Okay this is nice but Alma 11:26-31 states:

And Zeezrom said unto him: Thou sayest there is **a true and **living God? And Amulek said: Yea, there is a true and living God. Now Zeezrom said: **Is there more than **one God? And he answered , No. Now Zeezrom said unto him again: How knowest thou these things? And he said: An “angel hath made them known unto me…”

Clearly the Book of Mormon teaches that there is only one God. However, we know that Joseph Smith taught that there are plural gods.
“I wish to declare I have always an in all congregations when I have preached on the subject of Deity, it has been the plurality of Gods.”
Prophet Joseph Smith, Jr., History of the Church, v. 6, p. 306

How can the passage you provided from the Book of Mormon be a teaching from Joseph Smith when Amulek and Zeezrom teach that there is one God?

 

[dnu]

Parker - Okay this is nice but Alma 11:26-31 states:

And Zeezrom said unto him: Thou sayest there is **a true and **living God? And Amulek said: Yea, there is a true and living God. Now Zeezrom said: **Is there more than **one God? And he answered , No. Now Zeezrom said unto him again: How knowest thou these things? And he said: An “angel hath made them known unto me…”

Clearly the Book of Mormon teaches that there is only one God. However, we know that Joseph Smith taught that there are plural gods.
“I wish to declare I have always an in all congregations when I have preached on the subject of Deity, it has been the plurality of Gods.”
Prophet Joseph Smith, Jr., History of the Church, v. 6, p. 306

How can the passage you provided from the Book of Mormon be a teaching from Joseph Smith when Amulek and Zeezrom teach that there is one God?

Perhaps the plurality was part of the “restoration revelation?”

I dunno

 

[ParkerD]

Parker - Okay this is nice but Alma 11:26-31 states:

And Zeezrom said unto him: Thou sayest there is **a true and **living God? And Amulek said: Yea, there is a true and living God. Now Zeezrom said: **Is there more than **one God? And he answered , No. Now Zeezrom said unto him again: How knowest thou these things? And he said: An “angel hath made them known unto me…”

Clearly the Book of Mormon teaches that there is only one God. However, we know that Joseph Smith taught that there are plural gods.
“I wish to declare I have always an in all congregations when I have preached on the subject of Deity, it has been the plurality of Gods.”
Prophet Joseph Smith, Jr., History of the Church, v. 6, p. 306

How can the passage you provided from the Book of Mormon be a teaching from Joseph Smith when Amulek and Zeezrom teach that there is one God?

Lax16,
That particular question is one I hoped would be asked, which is one of the reasons I quoted the entire passage rather than just the verse I underlined. Thanks for asking the question.

Some background about Zeezrom:

He was a lawyer, skilled in language and in persuasion among the people he lived around. After hearing the words of Alma and Amulek, and thinking about them, he went through a mighty change of heart and was baptized and tried to correct all the errors he had taught to those who had been his followers, plus became a missionary with Alma and Amulek. Yet Alma had testified to him just before Amulek did so (on the same day, in the same place) that “not many days hence the Son of God shall come in his glory; and his glory shall be the glory of the Only Begotten of the Father, full of grace, equity, and truth…” (Alma 9:26). After Amulek spoke, then Alma added more teaching and within that additional teaching he explained “But God did call on men, in the name of his Son, (this being the plan of redemption which was laid) saying: If ye will repent, and harden not your hearts, then will I have mercy upon you, through mine Only Begotten Son.” (Alma 12:33)

So Zeezrom was receiving teachings that said “God is One God” and also that God the Father had an Only Begotten Son, the Son of God. What did Zeezrom do after hearing all this, and hearing how repentance was vital to his not perishing spiritually in that all would be resurrected but that all would then stand “before the bar of Christ the Son, and God the Father, and the Holy Spirit, which is one Eternal God, to be judged according to their works, whether they be good or whether they be evil.”? (Alma 11:44) Answer: he decided he had better repent and turn his heart toward God and experience the mighty change to be spiritually born again and begin to prepare to meet God.

Joseph Smith saying that there is a “plurality of Gods” has to do with the two aspects that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are separate and distinct Persons but with a unified will and purpose, knowledge and power, love and faith; and that Christ promised the joint throne for those who are sanctified and purified, keeping all their covenants with the Father. They inherit through His grace what He inherits by His being the Son of God and being Perfect at every moment in time and eternity.

 

[lax16]

Lax16,

Joseph Smith saying that there is a “plurality of Gods” has to do with the two aspects that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are separate and distinct Persons but with a unified will and purpose, knowledge and power, love and faith; and that Christ promised the joint throne for those who are sanctified and purified, keeping all their covenants with the Father. They inherit through His grace what He inherits by His being the Son of God and being Perfect at every moment in time and eternity.

Parker - Now this is getting interesting. It is a good thing that I have old copies of the Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith because the one available online has been greatly edited regarding JS teachings on the plurality of gods. (I have also noticed that things that were available online just a couple of months/weeks ago regarding Joseph Smith’s teachings are no longer accessible).

Parker, are you saying that Joseph Smith NEVER said “I will show you from the Hebrew Bible that I am correct, and the first word shows a plurality of Gods” and “In the beginning, the head of the Gods brought forth the Gods”?

 

[AtticusFinch]

Mormon Apostle Orson Pratt once stated that “If we should take a million worlds like this and number their particles, we should find that there are more Gods than there are particles of matter in those worlds” Journal of Discourses

 

[ParkerD]

Parker - Now this is getting interesting. It is a good thing that I have old copies of the Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith because the one available online has been greatly edited regarding JS teachings on the plurality of gods. (I have also noticed that things that were available online just a couple of months/weeks ago regarding Joseph Smith’s teachings are no longer accessible).

Parker, are you saying that Joseph Smith NEVER said “I will show you from the Hebrew Bible that I am correct, and the first word shows a plurality of Gods” and “In the beginning, the head of the Gods brought forth the Gods”?

Lax16,
I also have a copy of Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith and have no problem with saying that it says that the transcription of the King Follett Sermon has the words you quoted, but unfortunately you may have stopped reading too soon. Here are more sentences to round out the meaning:

“Thus the head God brought forth the Gods in the grand council… The head God called together the Gods and sat in grand council to bring forth the world. The grand councilors sat at the head in yonder heavens and contemplated the creation of the worlds that were created at the time.”

Joseph Smith is also quoted as having said earlier in the same sermon,

“My first object is to find out the character of the only wise and true God, and what kind of a being he is;”

So he is emphasizing what kind of a Being God is in this sermon spoken at the funeral of his friend, whose name was “King Follett”.

It is important for anyone thinking about the idea of the plurality of gods to read very carefully John 17, the Savior’s intercessory prayer where He asked that we can become one with Him and with the Father. Becoming one with Them matches up with what John wrote when he wrote “we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.”

1 Jn. 3: 3
3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

This means to become One as They are One, to become purified as They are pure, to become sanctified and unblemished and Whole and perfect. Then, in that Perfect condition and condition of being One with Them, They can trust those who become inheritors by the grace of Christ, to be called gods and to have the power and omnipotence of gods. But it is through no other principle than placing full faith and hope in Christ, and relying on His power to change our hearts and our lives through faith and repentance and the cleansing process of sanctification.

 

[lax16]

Lax16,
I also have a copy of Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith and have no problem with saying that it says that the transcription of the King Follett Sermon has the words you quoted, but unfortunately you may have stopped reading too soon. Here are more sentences to round out the meaning:

“Thus the head God brought forth the Gods in the grand council… The head God called together the Gods and sat in grand council to bring forth the world. The grand councilors sat at the head in yonder heavens and contemplated the creation of the worlds that were created at the time.”

Joseph Smith is also quoted as having said earlier in the same sermon,

“My first object is to find out the character of the only wise and true God, and what kind of a being he is;”

So he is emphasizing what kind of a Being God is in this sermon spoken at the funeral of his friend, whose name was “King Follett”.

It is important for anyone thinking about the idea of the plurality of gods to read very carefully John 17, the Savior’s intercessory prayer where He asked that we can become one with Him and with the Father. Becoming one with Them matches up with what John wrote when he wrote “we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.”

1 Jn. 3: 3
3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

This means to become One as They are One, to become purified as They are pure, to become sanctified and unblemished and Whole and perfect. Then, in that Perfect condition and condition of being One with Them, They can trust those who become inheritors by the grace of Christ, to be called gods and to have the power and omnipotence of gods. But it is through no other principle than placing full faith and hope in Christ, and relying on His power to change our hearts and our lives through faith and repentance and the cleansing process of sanctification.

Parker - This thread is not about Joseph Smith and his changing definition of the nature of God. That topic has been discussed on other threads.

All I will say to this is found on Jews for Judaism who refute Joseph Smith’s commentary on his translation of Genesis 1:1:

JS: I shall comment on the very first Hebrew word in the Bible. I will make a comment on the very first sentence of the history of creation in the Bible- Berosheit. I want to analyze the word. Baith-in, by, through, and everything else. Rosh-the head. Sheit-grammatical termination. When the inspired man wrote it, he did not put the Baith there. An old Jew, without any authority, added the word. He thought it too bad to begin to talk about the head! If you do not believe it, you do not believe the learned man of God. Learned men can teach you no more than what I have told you. Thus, the head God brought forth the Gods in the grand style.

JJ: In his attempt to show that the first word of the Bible, be-ray-sheet, indicates that there is a plurality of gods Smith actually proves the fallaciousness of his doctrine. To begin with, Smith’s tranliteration of the Hebrew words of Genesis1:1 betrays a flagrant lack of knowledge of the sound values of certain consonants and vowels.

I could go on, but I won’t.

Now, please tell how Joseph Smith teaches that Jesus Christ is the Rock upon which youth and adults must build their foundation? So far, you have quoted the Book of Mormon, but not mentioned any of JS’s teachings on the subject.

 

[lax16]

Parker, are you saying that Joseph Smith NEVER said “I will show you from the Hebrew Bible that I am correct, and the first word shows a plurality of Gods” and “In the beginning, the head of the Gods brought forth the Gods”?

You didn’t answer my question.

 

[TheosisM]

You didn’t answer my question.

He did:

"I also have a copy of Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith and have no problem with saying that it says that the transcription of the King Follett Sermon has the words you quoted, but unfortunately you may have stopped reading too soon. Here are more sentences to round out the meaning:

“Thus the head God brought forth the Gods in the grand council… The head God called together the Gods and sat in grand council to bring forth the world. The grand councilors sat at the head in yonder heavens and contemplated the creation of the worlds that were created at the time.”"

 

[ParkerD]

You didn’t answer my question.

Actually, I did.

Here is what I wrote in response:

“it says that the transcription of the King Follett Sermon has the words you quoted”

In other words, I certainly am NOT saying that Joseph Smith “NEVER said ‘I will show you from the Hebrew Bible…’”

I am saying that those words were a transcription, so I would certainly not be able to say for sure what specific words Joseph Smith actually said during the sermon. I assume you can understand the difference between taking dictation and writing down a talk either as it is being spoken or afterword from memory of the talk. In either case, it is not the same as taking dictation and especially not if the speaker does not have the specific task afterward of going through the transcription and seeing if the words are what were said.

 

[Timothy17]

The Church Fathers (4 Minutes On Heresy and Schism).

Joseph Smith also became a Freemason and took steps to include much of the Masonic instruction and ritual in the Mormon religion(1). Apparently God’s explicit revelations to him required some supplementary, and very human diet and instruction. Many Mormons to this day follow their Prophet’s lead in this regard. This I know because I have seen it.

Now I do not know if this is still practiced in the Mormon religion, but last I checked the Mormon’s took a page from the Protestants handbook and declared the Eucharist to be mere symbols and signs, thereby failing to keep Our Lord’s explicit commandment.

In any case, God’s Pilgrim Church has been visible and present here on Earth as promised for 2,000 years, and she isn’t going anywhere. Today Mormonism makes its stand, tomorrow it will be another new religion or ideology that will makes its, and so on and so forth until Christ comes again.

As pious appearing or scholarly or groomed as Mormonism is at present, it is still riddled with errors.

 

[lax16]

Actually, I did.

Here is what I wrote in response:

“it says that the transcription of the King Follett Sermon has the words you quoted”

In other words, I certainly am NOT saying that Joseph Smith “NEVER said ‘I will show you from the Hebrew Bible…’”

I am saying that those words were a transcription, so I would certainly not be able to say for sure what specific words Joseph Smith actually said during the sermon. I assume you can understand the difference between taking dictation and writing down a talk either as it is being spoken or afterword from memory of the talk. In either case, it is not the same as taking dictation and especially not if the speaker does not have the specific task afterward of going through the transcription and seeing if the words are what were said.

Why then did he accuse an old Jew of changing/adding a word to it?

Who was Joseph Smith talking to when he was defending his position?

Wouldn’t Joseph Smith’s sermons be recorded accurately since he was a prophet? There was nobody in charge of taking accurate notes at that time in the Mormon church?

 

[ParkerD]

Parker - …
Now, please tell how Joseph Smith teaches that Jesus Christ is the Rock upon which youth and adults must build their foundation? So far, you have quoted the Book of Mormon, but not mentioned any of JS’s teachings on the subject.

Lax16,
If Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon and dictated the translation to scribes who wrote the words down on paper, then that means the Book of Mormon certainly can be considered part of Joseph Smith’s teachings. He had the Book of Mormon printed. He sent it forth to the world as the word of God.

So it comprises words that God wants people to have, if they choose to read it and receive the messages. But that is not to say that Joseph Smith does not teach using the Book of Mormon as a text. Of course it is synonymous to say that the one who sends forth a text from God is teaching using the text.

But here is another teaching about Christ as the rock and what it means to build upon this rock:

Doctrine and Covenants 33:5 And verily, verily, I say unto you, that this church have I established and called forth out of the wilderness.
6 And even so will I gather mine elect from the four quarters of the earth, even as many as will believe in me, and hearken unto my voice.
7 Yea, verily, verily, I say unto you, that the field is white already to harvest; wherefore, thrust in your sickles, and reap with all your might, mind, and strength.
8 Open your mouths and they shall be filled, and you shall become even as Nephi of old, who journeyed from Jerusalem in the wilderness.
9 Yea, open your mouths and spare not, and you shall be laden with sheaves upon your backs, for lo, I am with you.
10 Yea, open your mouths and they shall be filled, saying: Repent, repent, and prepare ye the way of the Lord, and make his paths straight; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand;
11 Yea, repent and be baptized, every one of you, for a remission of your sins; yea, be baptized even by water, and then cometh the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost.
12 Behold, verily, verily, I say unto you, this is my gospel; and remember that they shall have faith in me or they can in nowise be saved;
13 And upon this rock I will build my church; yea, upon this rock ye are built, and if ye continue, the gates of hell shall not prevail against you.

 

[lax16]

He did:

Yes by telling me I am taking it out of context.

 

[lax16]

Lax16,
If Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon and dictated the translation to scribes who wrote the words down on paper, then that means the Book of Mormon certainly can be considered part of Joseph Smith’s teachings. He had the Book of Mormon printed. He sent it forth to the world as the word of God.

So it comprises words that God wants people to have, if they choose to read it and receive the messages. But that is not to say that Joseph Smith does not teach using the Book of Mormon as a text. Of course it is synonymous to say that the one who sends forth a text from God is teaching using the text.

But here is another teaching about Christ as the rock and what it means to build upon this rock:

Doctrine and Covenants 33:5 And verily, verily, I say unto you, that this church have I established and called forth out of the wilderness.
6 And even so will I gather mine elect from the four quarters of the earth, even as many as will believe in me, and hearken unto my voice.
7 Yea, verily, verily, I say unto you, that the field is white already to harvest; wherefore, thrust in your sickles, and reap with all your might, mind, and strength.
8 Open your mouths and they shall be filled, and you shall become even as Nephi of old, who journeyed from Jerusalem in the wilderness.
9 Yea, open your mouths and spare not, and you shall be laden with sheaves upon your backs, for lo, I am with you.
10 Yea, open your mouths and they shall be filled, saying: Repent, repent, and prepare ye the way of the Lord, and make his paths straight; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand;
11 Yea, repent and be baptized, every one of you, for a remission of your sins; yea, be baptized even by water, and then cometh the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost.
12 Behold, verily, verily, I say unto you, this is my gospel; and remember that they shall have faith in me or they can in nowise be saved;
13 And upon this rock I will build my church; yea, upon this rock ye are built, and if ye continue, the gates of hell shall not prevail against you.

Parker - once again nice scriptural readings that most people would not disagree with.

But can you really say that JS teachings are in line with the Book of Mormon?
Obviously, you are insisting that JS did not believe in plural gods…whatever.
But he does teach that God has a body - is that in the BoM?
God was once mortal? - is that in the BoM?
Temple rituals - BoM? etc etc etc

It is really hard to understand that Joseph Smith used the Book of Mormon to teach yet had teachings that are not in the BoM and yet if those teachings contradict the BoM we are told they were not copied down correctly…Right?