What’s the Difference? Ten questions to ask any Latter-day Saint.

In October 1985, Elder Derek A. Cuthbert, a member of the Seventy, gave a talk entitled, “What’s the Difference?,” (Ensign, Nov 1985, 24). In his talk, Elder Cuthbert told a story about LDS missionaries in England who knocked on his door and who had answers to questions that his own church did not. The answers he received led to his wanting to know more about the Restored Gospel and his eventual baptism into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He testified, "My life was changed, along with my dear wife’s, as we met with the missionaries, asked questions, and prayed to know the truth."

Knowing that others would have similar questions, he listed ten of the more pressing questions he asked the missionaries and the answers that he had found. The questions are:

1. Why doesn’t God speak to us today?
2. What is God like?
3. What does your church teach about family life?
4. How can God be just if baptism is essential and many die without knowing this?
5. If God loves us so much, why doesn’t he warn us about the evils of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs?
6. How does your church care for you and fulfill your needs in addition to your Word of Wisdom?
7. Why do you send missionaries all over the world, when most churches concentrate on third-world countries?
8. What is your understanding of the purpose of life?
9. How do you know the answers you have given are true?
10. How can I know for myself that what you teach is true?

The answers which he gives to these questions are simple, straightforward, and grounded in the doctrine set forth by the Lord through His prophets in the scriptures.

He concludes, "we will add to the truth you have, for God speaks again through prophets. He has revealed himself to man in modern times. It is possible for families to be forever, for God has restored the sacred temple ordinances for the living and the dead. Furthermore, he has given us a health law, a welfare program, and a missionary system. He has revealed the purpose of life and has given us the Holy Ghost that we might testify to others and know for ourselves that this is the living Church of the living Christ, and that he speaks through a living prophet, . . . I so testify, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen."

This post will be followed by ten additional posts containing my testimony concerning each of these ten questions.

I add my witness that the Lord works through His living prophets to guide us in these latter days. All the answers you will ever seek to all the questions you will ever have are found in their words and in the scriptures which are the words of the ancient prophets. Try it.

Jeremy