Question #3 Saved Through Works. I have a hard time grasping that you can be saved even if you don’t bear good fruits or live your life trying to follow Jesus, you can still be saved by simply accepting him as your Savior. I think probably because I was raised to believe that there are certain things or “works” you have to do to get to heaven or the celestial kingdom.

Answer #2, Baptism
Jesus showed us in the bible that we should be baptized. Because he was baptized, and he clearly tells us to follow his example. If we do not follow his example and bear good fruits (actually try to follow him every day and do his will) he talks about the tree being cut down because it bears no good fruits. So it isn’t useful to god. What I’m wondering is why is baptism only done sometimes? Why is it optional?

From what I understand, Jesus gave his authority by the laying on of hands to his disciples. The only churches (that I know of) that claim to have that same authority are the Mormon Church and the Catholic Church. Without Christ’s authority how are we able to claim to be a part of his church?

Dear Reader: The following six part dialogue is from a confused former Mormon, whom we shall call Lucy, who has recently received Jesus into her heart. She has valid questions that we at Vigilant Minds answered and it was suggested that posting these Questions & Answers may help others who are also in the same boat as Lucy.

September 21 of this year marks the 200th anniversary of the date that Joseph Smith claimed to have been visited by the Angel Moroni in Palmyra, New York.

Moroni instructed Joseph where to dig up sacred plates that he translated into the Book of Mormon, which is the cornerstone for a new world religion boasting a membership of 17 million across the globe.

The author of the following portion of a newsletter from Intermountain Christian Ministries is a personal friend of Vigilant Minds who has been ministering to Mormons in Utah for 50 years.

Your editor as well as some friends in Christian ministry in Utah have been asked many times over the last few years or so why the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is building so many temples. The guesses, and that is all we can do as we are not “on the inside,” have been...

According to an article found in the December 13, 2015 Calgary Herald there were approximately 22,000 Mormons living in Calgary at that time. The total count of Mormons living in Alberta in 2015 amounted to about 1.1% of the population.

n the shifting sands of Mormon theology, the cross has undergone dramatic attitude and doctrinal adjustments. This once revered symbol is now avoided within Mormon circles, partly due to Catholic opposition to their missionary efforts in Europe. The crucifix, with Jesus still suffering, was seen as a “Christian” symbol held by those without authority, where the Latter-day Saints present themselves as the “restored” Church energized with a reinstated priesthood and a God given mandate.

The Watchtower’s denial of the Trinity and Christ’s Deity naturally affects their view of the atonement. They teach that the main reason Jesus came to earth was to vindicate the name of Jehovah and reverse Adam’s fall.

On an early morning in 1820, Joseph Smith claims he was visited by the Father and the Son to give the restoration of the true gospel since the truth had been distorted due to the apostasy of the church.

Joseph's personal account of that morning has become one of the major pillars of the LDS church. In this account, he tells the listener how he earnestly yearned to know God and his purpose in his life and how he was greeted by a "pillar of light, the brightness of the sun", how he saw "two personages" and how he was "led in his heart" to tell of the vision.

Can this be true?