Tales from Umtata: Golden Investigator

Missionary Experiences Are What You Make Them

As missionaries for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we take the opportunity to study the gospel daily so that we may use that knowledge to lead people to Christ. Being a missionary does not exempt us from our human frailty, however. My weakness is in full bloom this morning.  

Wake up Elder Johnson,” Shouts Elder Thompson gleefully. “It’s time for comp’ study.” 

Glaring momentarily at him, I roll around n bed a bit before rising. Elder Thompson wakes me up in the middle of such a beautiful dream, resentment. I had a new companion in my dream. 

It was no secret that Elder Thompson and I have friction in our companionship, except to Elder Thompson. I hide it from him out of resentment. Younger than I am and chippier every day, I envy.

“What are we going to study today, Elder,” I said attempting to hide the irritation in my voice. Not that it matters. This guy is so oblivious to my issues with him. Or is he?

Elder Thompson furrows his brow and suggests, “The first discussion. If we study it today, we will teach it.” 

Resentment and all, I believe him. Tossing the word out there so often is annoying, but I resent him because he is such a good person even though I want him to be evil so that I could feel justified in being upset with him. I cannot stay upset long. He is too cheerful! I am not a morning person. He is not a good leader either. I have a detailed list of all his flaws. All of them!

After Breakfast and personal study, we go over the plan for today. We were told that planning in the morning is highly effective. We want, if nothing else, to be productive. So, we plan to do some street contacting for the morning and service at the Hospital counting pills. We scheduled a few appointments with the hope that they will not fall through. We have no backup plan because the concept eludes Elder Thompson. 

I am his “Greenie,” and I resent it! Did I say I resent it? I really resent it!

After coordinating some last-minute plans with the other two Elders in the boarding, Elder Danisa, and Elder Streadbeck, we shove off to start our day. About noon, we return to the boarding to lunch for two hours—planning not to return for dinner. 

Elder Thompson and I are off to work. All of our appointments seem to be canceling as we get to their homes! On top of that, we walk in the sweltering sun uphill both ways! How is that even possible! Only in Umtata (Mthatha now)!

Well, okay, maybe not both ways—but it feels like it. After rescheduling all of the appointments, Elder Thompson suggests that we tract Singqangana Crescent. (When saying this word, Singquangana, the "q" makes a popping sound. Xhosa is an exciting and beautiful language!) I agree fully expecting to find some good people to teach. finally. Resentment is at an all-time low due to the heat and tiresome walking.

The Heat Beats Down. 

We two, heads high, armed for battle, marched up to the first house to begin our adventure. Every door we go to no parents are home or they cannot speak English! A few said "No," which is uncommon in Xhosa Culture when it comes to having messengers of God. I remember that day like it was this morning, though it was 20 years in the past.

Discouraged, we shoved on with little faith in finding anyone. We tracted for 5 hours and it was getting dark. Elder Thompson wanted to turn back and do something more effective but we resolved to tough it out until the end of that long uphill street. After a few more rejections or no contacts, I gave up and wanted to go home. I was sick of no success. Elder Thompson felt the same way, but he looked at me, and then looked up the street. We had five more houses, and we wanted to get them. 

“Let’s just do a few more,” he said. “We might have some success.” 

“Well, if we are going to have success, we are teaching at the next house.” 

“We will teach at this next house,” promised Elder Thompson with determination wanting to get a good investigator for us to teach. (A person interested in our message was an investigator. Missionaries call the friends where I live currently.) We had prayed for such an experience. We hoofed it to the door and knocked but no answer. As we, crestfallen, moved to leave, the door crept open revealing the face of a lovely middle-aged Xhosa woman. She regarded us intently waiting for us to explain our presence at her door at such an hour in the night, about 7 pm.  

Spiritual High

“We are missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-days Saints,” began Elder Thompson. “We have a message about a plan that God has for us to be happy and we want to share it with you and your family. Would you be interested?” 

“O yes, I would like for you to share it with us, but I have nowhere for you to sit. In our house live others who I let out to (rent), and my family and I only use this one room.” 

“We don’t mind,” I said. “We are here to share with you not for comfort, but out of love.” 

“Is your husband home,” asked Elder Thompson. 

“No, I am divorced,” she responded. Red flags went off in our minds. We knew better than to enter a woman’s home without a male escort with us. It would look shady to the neighbors and our Mission President. Something burned inside of us to teach, though. 

“Can we teach you outside before the night becomes too dark,” says Elder Thompson. 

English was not her first tongue, though she spoke it beautifully. Elder Thompson and I had grown into the habit of speaking very simply and directly among our Xhosa-speaking family. So, if the dialogue seems contrived, it is.

“Yes," she responded agreeing to meet with us, "On my stoop. I will get you some chairs and I will sit on the stoop.” She went inside. We looked at each other, knowing our goal to teach families. We questioned each other with our eyes. 

We walked around the house to the open area where the stoop was, “Do you think we should teach her," I asked. 

“Yeap.” 

“I do too, I hope it goes well.” 

We sat well in the open where neighbors and passersby could see and commenced the introduction of ourselves and the discussion, the first discussion. Immediately the Spirit attended us. Her name is Nomakwasi Magwensthu and she listened to us. I felt as if my heart would burst with joy as I spoke and listened—bearing testimony of my companion’s words and those of my own. 

She believed all. I asked, "If we gave you a copy of The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ, will you read it?” 

“Yes, but I cannot have it now.” I was crushed by her response. Did she not feel the spirit, I questioned internally? “I will take it later because I have no money to pay for it now. How much does it cost? I will send my son after it.” Immediately my soul delighted again.

“Nothing,” answered Elder Thompson gleefully, “It is a free gift to you from us.” 

With that, she took the book, hugged it, and caressed it. We continued with the discussion and scheduled another appointment to follow up. With that discussion, we knew a baptism would come. Our walk downhill to our boarding seemed almost effortless as we floated on the feelings we experienced just moments before at Sister Magwentshu’s. My respect and love for Elder Thompson increased and my acrimonious thoughts of him ceased too.

Moroni Saw Me

Moroni Saw Me: Hope is the essence of faith in things that are true. Through the challenges of life, a young boy journeys for peace, acceptance, and joy. The story is about budding faith that grows into the thriving flowers of hope with the guided hand of the divine. Rodric, the boy, finds challenges that seem constant with the loss of a loved one or the challenge of standing alone. 

Longing for a paternal relationship he never gets, Rodric finds his Father in God as he turns to Him for support. He goes through humorous experiences, daring adventures and near-fatal rendezvous all with the same goal in mind, hope in something more, which he finds! 

The boy grows into a man dealing with more love and loss and the realities of racism even in the face of religion. Finding faith alone is not enough urges him onward to discipleship as he suffers greatly to refine himself more to become like his Master Jesus Christ. 

Experience the passion, the joy, the journey and the hope of one man under the prophetic eye of Moroni, an ancient American prophet who provided the guide that led Rodric to Christ. Hope is the driving force of the human condition to reach for greatness. Will it last? Yes! Reach with him!

Getting Personal With Christianity: Overcoming Doubt

I never thought of prophets as perfect. The Book of Mormon even claims prophets are not perfect. I did not believe in Jesus as a God until I read the Book of Mormon since I had lost my faith as a young Christian--if I had faith at all back then. I suppose I had tradition and I accepted the things that were familiar to me.

Over and over, the prophets in the Book of Mormon claim that if there are mistakes in the record, they are errors of men. To me, that is an admission that there would be mistakes--that we should expect some! Joseph Smith, Mormon, Moroni and Nephi were all important men associated with the coming forth of the book to us. If they made mistakes how do they diminish God's role in revealing to them the truth? It does not change the fact, in my case, that I spoke to God about their work/writings and He told me that they are true, a true testament to the divinity of Jesus Christ.

God told me in answer to my prayers certain things. I care, but less what Joseph did before he became a prophet or how many wives he had. And? 

It kills my spiritual high sometimes when people find out that I am a LDS Christian and they say, “Well, you know that they don't like Black people." 

I want to say, "Really? I am so glad you told me that! I've been in this faith for more than twenty years, and I just could not tell! I just assumed they were nice to me because they were Christian, but know YOU let me know that they were pretending! Yeah, and all the Black Mormons had to be pretending a nice also since there are so many of them in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints now!"

Umm, yeah! The members of the church come in all the variety of humanity. I wish that I could say it and it be overwhelmingly accurate that because LDS claim to have the restored truth that it makes us better people. 
Who doesn't want to think their faith makes them the best? Humble people don't want to think that I suppose.  If anything, our faith makes us more accountable before God since we claim to have a direct line to God through a prophet, but people are people.  Israel had a direct line to God through prophets and look at what happened to then. They still worshiped false gods! 
People will be good or bad regardless of the religion. I hope that as Christians, we are more inclined to do good deeds rather. It has been my experience at the beginning of my walk with Christ that LDS earnestly endeavor to live the teachings of Christ. 
I have been a LDS Christian too long to assume someone will be nice to me just because we go to the same church. It is not the case. I have met people with racist ideas and notions. I have met rude people. I met these people in church!

So, do I believe that Mormons have been racist in the past and that some are still racist? Yes, I do believe that. Since when did being a disciple of Christ, mean that we are instantly perfect as a person, community or faith? It is not the church I am converted to per se, but the faith, the teachings of God through the imperfect people in the church.

People cannot accept that I asked God on many occasions about the church and His prophets and He tells me they are authorized to act and speak for Him. I trust God, so I accept the prophets as His official reps on the earth.

I still have my doubts and my issues about this or that doctrine or policy, which I speak about appropriately, but my purpose is to promote faith in others and challenge the things that make me doubt. I still have bouts with God about if He is there! I could see myself slip away from Him if I were to stop praying because then He becomes a distant memory and His revelations just the fanciful whimsy of my simple mind.

I choose not to indulge my doubts. I am sure President Thomas S Monson has issues that his family would confirm if they were inclined to do so. That would not change the fact that for me, God has told me Monson is a prophet. He, Monson, will have to repent of his sins just like I do, but he still represents the Lord officially as His spokesman.

Prophets can fall and lose their way just like any person, but they can also repent and be forgiven without losing their calling. They can also be wrong about something all the days of their lives and teach it as if it is right! That is the reason God gave us the Holy Ghost so that we can discern.  That is why we have 15 prophets instead of just one. We as a people have to learn to trust our personal revelation. We must also learn to keep the commandments so that we are not being led astray because the devil can give revelations too!

We are never to trust the prophet in a way that we exclude prayer and due devotion to God ourselves. If we did, it would be Satan’s plan: to follow blindly in obedience.

Apologists have the wrong idea. I used to be one before I came to my senses. I received such a convincing jolt to my misunderstanding of my faith that I rebooted. I found out that I knew only these two things: that God is real and the Book of Mormon is true. This happened post-mission 12 or so years ago.  Apologists rattled me to the core. I alarmed my wife and friends. They had warned me to stay away from it.

See, foolishly, I had stopped reading my scriptures much and praying with faith while I engaged in apologetics. I only wanted to debate with people about the LDS religion and its preeminence over all others. What rattled me was something that ended up being false anyway! I was just so far from my relationship with God my mind was weak. Doubt worked its way into my mind. Apologetics is great if it is tempered by sincere faith.

We do not NEED to prove the faith or make exceptions for it. I find it comforting that there are people willing to give intellectual explanations for things that are not clear. Those exercises on intellect should never replace sincere and abiding faith in Jesus Christ on a foundation of keeping the commandments He has provided.

Faith is to believe in the absence of proof, which comes with revelation after the trial of our faith. I can promise any of you who are struggling with your faith that read this blog that if you keep the commandments prayerfully, God will reveal the truth to you as many times as you need it.

He set it up this way so that we would seek Him. I know I would not pray as often if I had all the answers right now. What need would I have to talk to Him or develop an open communication with Him at all? It is hard! I have to put my remote down and stop entertaining myself to do that!

There is no proof of any religious belief other than personal revelation. God designed life that way so that we can have the freedom to pursue the gospel or reject it without condemnation if we lose sight of the truth.

For example, we know the law gravity exists, so if we jump off a building expecting it to go away, we will suffer the immediate consequences. It is not so with the gospel. If we choose to leave the gospel level of consciousness we espouse, Mormon, Baptist, Muslim, spiritualism, etc., we lose a little bit of our testimony at a time until it is all gone. We are not doomed to outer darkness but only to a lower kingdom which is still a part of heaven if we fail to repent. Atheists, in my estimation, still go to heaven! Devil worshipers still go to heaven!

I find comfort knowing I can still mess up and get a great reward. I have not seen God, so I do not qualify for outer darkness. But, oh boy for those who have seen Him and decided to reject Him afterward. There are few people with that reward. Nephi lets us know that the hell they will endure exists only for them, and the devil.

So, it is okay for you all to have your doubts. Just, doubt your doubts more than you doubt the things you know. Since many of us still have not seen God face to face, we can get away with more. However, since some of us have heard His voice, we need to think hard how we dismiss past spiritual experiences.

Mormonism is a culture, but the gospel is more than a culture, it is the truth, and I would give up all my heritage and cultures for that.

Missionary Training Center Christmas

Salt Lake Airport

I step off the airplane for the first time in Salt Lake City. I feel extremely nervous. It’s my first time so far away from home. It’s actually real! I actually am an ordained minister of Christ, a missionary!

"I can hardly believe it!” I say to myself.

The airport is busy and bustling with activity. It’s December 8, 1998, and travelers from all over are leaving and arriving—getting to their families. I spoke with Russell before I left Georgia and I know where he told me to meet him. Russell is the guy who introduced me to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as a missionary. I want to be like him, a missionary. Now I am! I walk along looking around and marveling at how homogeneous the people are in Utah.

“There is no way that Russell will miss me in this crowd. I stand out,” I think as I arrive at the specified rendezvous point. Minutes seem like hours as I wait.

“Rodric,” I hear over the crowd. “Rodric, is that you?” I look frantically through the throng. Warmth and relief overcame me as I see Russell Sheridan and his family hailing me. He baptized me only six years earlier and now I stood before him waiting to do the same to some other fortunate soul.

We hurry toward one another and embrace. He holds me tightly and I return the embrace as I puzzle at the former Elder Sheridan. He is shorter now. He has little hair. This is not the picture I was expecting. Nevertheless, it is my missionary! I remember the smile. I remember the voice. I remember him, and tears start to form, but not fall. I'm  spending the rest of the day with Russell and his family. I meet my missionary's parents. They treat me like royalty! It is all too much for my simple brain.

The MTC

Six of my Twelve District members in the MTC

The next day, Russell took me to the MTC, Missionary Training Center, after breakfast with his family. After the speech given by a leader there, we were instructed to exit different sides of the room.

I looked at my missionary and began to cry. I felt so small and insignificant as Russell left me in that large meeting room with tears in his eyes. He seemed so happy that I, his “Golden Contact,” decided to serve the Lord as a missionary.

I did not want him to leave. I really discovered how alone I felt when he left. He was the last bit of family I had before turning completely to the mercy of the MTC. With my mind riddled with rumors of what returned missionaries told me about the MTC experience, I prepared for the worst. I thought the people in the MTC would revile me because of my race—based on other rumors I heard about Utah members of the Church from Georgia Latter-day Saints.

The orange dork dot on my lapel informed every other missionary that I had just arrived. I was very conscious of my race as I looked around and saw no other person who looked like me. A rather tall missionary approached me. He must have seen my bewildered look. I assumed the harassment would begin when he reach out to me. He grabbed my bags and begin to help me get to my boarding (dorm housing).

I was extremely intimidated by my surroundings, but there was no reason for me to fear.  No hazing. As I walked the halls to receive the items for my stay at the MTC, I felt a spirit of goodwill, but still felt apprehensive. With an orange dork dot attached to my lapel, I received considerable positive attention. I was astonished by the help I received just carrying my belongings to my boarding.

Once there, I was introduced to the other orange-dork-dotted lapel wearers who were in my district in the MTC. My district consisted of 12 elders. I was the only non-White and Black person. Being from the South, I felt awkward at the situation and assumed smug attitudes would abound. Wrong! Not only did smug attitudes not exist, but the greatest filial love I could imagine prevailed!

As a district, we became acquainted. I felt particularly happy about my companion Elder Jenson. I thought of all, I had the best one. I was correct. He was the best one for me. Of al, he encouraged me the most and provided the extra support I needed to get over my fear of racism.

Leadership

I needed to overcome several other fears; so, I was placed in a situation that I feared the most, leadership. I was called as the district leader. Bells went off in my head as I reluctantly accepted the assignment. I felt that since I was the only non-White, and especially a  Black person, this assignment would cause some problems. I knew that one of the other elders had his heart set on being the district leader. 

I stammered a bit as the branch president awaited my answer. "Say yes," my branch president told me. I did. Elder Jensen assured me that all would be well, and he would support me. He actually became my hero. The elder that wanted to become the district leader cornered me following the call and told me that I only received that assignment because I lacked proper leadership skills. He sat with a disappointed look on his face. He said that he already had leadership skills so he did not need the calling.

I felt a bit hurt by his remarks, but instead of insulting him, as I would have in the past, the Spirit led me to say, "Maybe you’re right.” He was right. I felt more love for him. I expected, however, a larger negative sentiment to be mutual throughout the district. Incorrect. These brethren of mine loved me as before—even that elder who correctly knew I needed leadership training.

I Told Them To Close Their Eyes

Lights At Temple Square

Source: Salt Lake City Holiday Light Display

Christmas approached, and packages and letters crowded the MTC. Celebrations and firesides filled the schedules. In our district meeting, a special thing occurred as the Spirit moved me. I spoke and words similar to these came out:

“2000 years ago, 12 men sat with the Savior at the last supper and listened to his words. We are 12 elders as they, and we sit here together to also hear His words."

I told them to close their eyes and continued, “Imagine that those 12 are us and that we sit in Christ’s presence hearing His words, and receiving His counsel.”

I went on to say more that I cannot write. Suffice it to say, tears sprang from a few and the spirit edified us. I told them at the end of that meeting "That is what Christmas is really about." I could feel the love that these brethren had for God, for each other, and for me.

As Christmas approached and came, all the elders received gifts and postage from family. I did not. On Christmas day, I felt my spirit decline. I did not get to speak to my parents because as soon as I left for the MTC, they left on Christmas vacation to Miami. It was my first Christmas away from my family.

My companion and I went out and returned later that day from an errand. On my desk were gifts from my brethren. Each one of them gave me of the gifts their families had given them. I again felt the love of God in my heart, and the words “That is what Christmas is really about” returned to me.

We truly are the hands of Christ. Christmas means to give a gift out of love, as did Heavenly Father in giving his only begotten son. I may have asked my brethren to close their eyes to imagine being with Christ, but they helped me open mine to see He is here with us through our good works.

• Get Your Prayers Heard: Yield To God
• We do not care for ourselves, but the biosphere that holds the atmosphere to this planet was fashioned over eons by God. The ecosystems that exist on the planet were ordered by God. We are not as glorious, knowledgeable and powerful as God. We spirit
• So This Is Christmas
  Christmas has come to mean something different in today's society than it did in the past. It is great that Christmas is observed. The real meaning of the holiday may be masked behind Santa and reindeer, however, the Spirit of Christmas has an 
• CreateSpace Community: Rodric29's Blog: "I'll Deal With That After Christmas" People Who Give Until
  Each time the holidays come around there are a number of people out there that put all life on hold and go into immense debt to pull off the most wonderful and amazing holiday!
• THE ONE -- Umtata South Africa Missionary Stories
  Suddenly, in stumbled a beggar requesting funds for food! We had been in town long enough to know that such things could happen, but it took me half kilter regardless.
• Victoria Kasuubo – Conviction of a Christian Woman | Black Latter-day Saints Testify
  Twin Mormon is a site that was created with an aim of bringing together Black Latter-day Saints in Africa and America to share the differences that exist among us. It also invites members our families and friends. Interestingly, it does more than
• Writings of Rodric Johnson : We Felt Impressed: Cape Town Missionary Story
  Cape Town. It is an exciting city. Just about anything you find in a large city you can find in and around Cape Town. As a missionary serving in that area, I was about finding souls.
• Street Contacting On Umtata's (Mthatha) Square. Missionary Stories.
• It was one of the hottest days that I could remember. Though it was February, it was the middle of Summer in South Africa! Elders Thompson, Streadbeck, Danisa and I had left service for the field around noon
  .

Memory Piece. Great Book. Read it. Buy it. Drama.

Hello my cyber-land readers!

Okay, yes that was a "special" greeting but I thought I'd try it out. I wrote another book.

My first book I think I spent about $400 on getting the word out. For this one, I spent nothing even though I enjoyed writing and reading this second book more than the first.

Well, Memory Piece is my baby! I have had the idea for this book in my head for almost 20 years. I was too immature to actually put the book together because I had to write about things I was unfamiliar with at the time. My, how times have changed. I am familiar with death, marriage, heartache and pain now--all the right ingredients to write a drama!

I first started the book day dreaming about how I wanted my life to be when I matured to adulthood. As I wrote, however, I quickly changed my mind as mayhem began to filter into the story. So why the title Memory Piece? I wanted to show how one singular event in life can cause a domino effect--whether for good or bad.

We all make choices that lead us down certain paths. We all have experiences that influences our choices. I wanted to capture those experiences and choices back to the first experience and choice of my main characters to show how the choices we make compound a situation.

Check out the book at Amazon.com. It is worth the read and safe. The first chapter is a bit steamy. I believe in PG rated writing. If you want something that does not need to have profanity in it to communicate the drama, I'm your man! That is what I have to say today--okay? CLICK FOR BOOK

Doing Right When not Wanting to Do at All

Sometimes tragedy or serious situations make us reflect on what is really in our hearts Cyber Family.

I am so happy that when I reflected, I found love in my heart. Adversity and challenges really reveal when we are the best and tests our integrity.

If you feel a little down because you did not feel like listening that extra hour to your kids talk about that cool TV show--but did it anyway--don't. In your heart you truly care about that person and are willing to put your own needs aside for their benefit. This applies to any act of service we decide on our own to complete against our selfish desires.

I took my mother to have knee surgery Cyber friends.

I did not want to do it because I did not want to wake up early enough, but I put my selfish feelings aside for a moment. I am glad I had the privilege of seeing her off because I was able to talk to her on the way to the surgery center.

The thoughts of something going wrong made me focus on her and how wonderful she has made my life.So , while my mom was getting her operation, I had my own operation to go along with it. It is called operation acknowledgement. I will acknowledge that I am not always selfless in thought, but I can be in action and character.

What we think will bend to the will of what we do in the long-run. That has been my experience. That's my story and I am sticking with it!

Check out This Article about Healing

The Lie of Blacks' Pre-Mortal Refrain from Christ: My Experience

As a newly baptized member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints the false notion that people of Black African ancestry did not support Christ before birth came with full satanic freight toward my fragile new faith in the validity of the Restored Gospel.

Budding hopefully in the faith that teaches where we come from, why we are here, and what happens after this life, nothing could derail my faith, I supposed. Satan would try nevertheless.

Thirsting to consume everything to do with the Restored Church of Christ, I guzzled book after book from the time I learned of the Church in 1992 forward wantonly disregarding the source of the information--not knowing detractors existed. It would not have mattered in the beginning. Missionaries had whetted my pallet for knowledge! Providence would have it that two books would pique my interest so that a divine lesson of forgiveness could occur.

I read two books reprinted in 1978 but on the library bookshelves in the 1990s:

• Mormonism and the Negro: an explanation and defense of the doctrine of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in regard to Negroes and others of Negroid blood by John J. Stewart
• The Church and the Negro by John L. Lund. 

It could have been both or one, but the path that the words in these books laid before me was one with upturned nails of hopelessness and shards of glass of low esteem to scrap along the edges during my walk with Christ for a spell.

Where The Books Led Me

Never before had I considered my lineage, but from the teachings in those works, I read that my heritage was through Ham because my skin was black and that I did not side with Christ in the pre-mortal life but remained neutral. 

Pre-mortal neutrality was a foreign concept to my budding spiritual system; then again,  so was the concept of pre-mortal life. Not knowing how to articulate my musings I believed life before birth personally until the missionaries who instructed me gave it a name.

Strangely enough, my Protestant background conjectured that Blacks are the seed of Cain in the most unsatisfying manners. Without delving into the false teachings I heard there, they did not affect me since I had no concept of continuing revelation and authorized oracles of God. 

Without the appellation of prophet after their names, the words of those Protestant opinionists bore little if no weight in my spiritual system of understanding.  With similar teachings added with the accusation of neutrality, during a war in heaven against Lucifer,  disadvantage destroyed my new fellowship with the Saints because I was a son of the descendant of slaves and devil worshipers! Thanks, Cain and Ham!

I was devastated. Bitter tears wet my pillow nightly for a week because the author was a leader in the Church. Having received my own personal witness that President Ezra Taft Benson was a prophet of God, I assumed that a witness of him meant that the books also spoke the truth. The first lesson that the missionaries taught me, to pray, escaped me regarding the matter. I thought that since this person was a leader in the church, those things he recorded about Blacks must be true.

Where The Books Left Me

During that week, loathing myself and disdaining my African ancestors, I went to my Bishop informing him of what I read and showing him one of the books. He tried to explain to me the difference between a prophet speaking by authority and revelation and one giving his fallible opinion. 

His words tingled in my ears like cymbals. I did not understand how a prophet could have an opinion unless it was also God's opinion. He then tried to convince me that it was false and not church doctrine, but I had received a witness that prophets lived and confused it with all church leaders at the general level being equally inspired and able to preach doctrine for the Church--at least I thought the author was a general church leader at the time and so did my Bishop.

I also lacked the spiritual maturity to understand that the 1978 revelation repudiated all the opinions related to the curse of Cain. 

When he saw I would not relent, he told me that I could prove to God in this life I would choose Christ. I accepted that compromise of the spirit for years, though it did nothing for my feelings regarding my race. The Spirit opened my mind to consider what my bishop said about the teaching being false, which came some few years after I was married.

Why do I share this? Many Black Members of the Church may have had a similar experience with finding out this malicious perspective of the fence-sitting children of God who became Black and cursed before birth. I have seven children who I do not want to feel the level of self-hate I felt because they learned about a teaching that was popular in the church among the laity, but never established as doctrine.

Where I Left The Books

The opinion about the fence-sitting pre-earth spirits becoming Blacks of African heritage is still a belief among some Saints; though it is denounced by many, and admitted by church authority as incorrect.

The is a document published on the LDS.org church site denouncing racism and such. There is no particular person who denounces the teaching. I assume the church leadership as a group denounces it, though I am not sure. It reads in part:

Today, the Church disavows the theories advanced in the past that black skin is a sign of divine disfavor or curse, or that it reflects unrighteous actions in a premortal life...  

I have perpetuated the false teaching until my eyes were open by the revelation included in Doctrine and Covenants as an official statement in 1978 to extend the priesthood to all worthy men.

Now I can boldly testify that all that was taught by Bruce R. McKonie and others is fallacious and unsound regarding the Black person. Many taught that the Negro would not receive the priesthood until some distant time during or after the millennium of Christ's reign. 

Since I am Black and I also am a priesthood holder, that conjecture of past is... well, conjecture! McKonie has also admitted that his best scholarship ended up being dull in comparison to revelation from God--being that Elder McKonie was present when the revelation was confirmed to all the apostles by the Holy Spirit of Promise.

Where God Has Me

Why should The Church of Jesus Christ apologize? God allowed it for a spell and ended it with revelation. 

It is of no consequence that President Brigham Young instituted it as a policy or if he received divine revelation about it. The fact that God allowed the ban is His prerogative.  For those of us who know the church is true, our question should be to God Himself. If the church should say anything, it can reaffirm the truth that Blacks of all nations are, and have always been, children of God just as any other group and are not cursed. 

Any hatred perpetuated from the past dealings of Black members of the church needs to embrace the healing balm of Jesus Christ. The church has made a statement about the ban among other things Race and the Priesthood. 

It has instituted a group called Genesis to help Utah minorities, specifically Blacks, who may feel alienated because of the so few numbers of Blacks in individual congregations in Utah.

As a Black man, I say we need to focus on putting God back at the center of life in practice and not name only. In my culture, we can sing praises all day long, but unless we keep the commandments all we are singing are slaps in the very face of God!

God has delivered my people from the wicked slavery of the White man and the oppressive hand of the racist White man. He has set His daughters free and given them a powerful voice to shape the nation independent of man. 

He has allowed laws to be passed to protect the weak and innocent from the predatory persecution of people who disdain people because of sexual preference. He has done all these things in preparation for the coming of Jesus Christ so that we can truly learn to be prepared to receive His Son. 

If we are mistreating our brothers or sisters because of race, gender or sexual orientation we will not enjoy Christ coming for we will not be prepared. 

If we are harboring ill will towards those who have persecuted us because of our race, gender or sexual orientation we are not prepared. 

We will only be prepared as we love unconditionally all around us, or at least put ourselves on the path that leads to this love so that when Jesus does come He can sanctify us for our humble attempts!

Read These Things!!

Race and the Priesthood Link On LDS.org! It has come much later than many have wanted, but an acknowledgment that Blacks are not cursed or the representation of Satan on the Earth is a big step in the right directions.

• Blacks & The Curse of Cain President Brigham Young refuted the possibility of this falsehood in his support of a first presidency message declaring that all who obtained the first estate of life did so with earnest. No soul sat idly by in the war commenced in heaven
• The Truth about Being Black in America The fact that African Americans are called African at all is an indication of the limited explanation of this group's history. The nationalities of Black American ancestors are a mystery for the great majority of the group. Slavery stripped this group of the choice to decide to merge with American culture.

Public Showers. The Rains Down in Africa. Missionary Stories

Elder Thompson and I were to embark on a mission within our mission. We received word that one of our youthful church members, Andile in the Umtata Branch, decided to go less active with the statement “There is no God.”

Of course, being the dutiful Elders we were, we walked about 3 kilometers (mile and a half) to his home where he sat waiting for us. 

Unknown to me at the time, Andile possesses the ability to manipulate people into saying and doing just about anything he perceived that person to be capable of doing.

I know that statement is a stretch, but it is true. We went in and spoke to Andile for some length getting nowhere. We reasoned with him and pleaded with him. 

After a while, Elder Thompson’s countenance changed from pleading to knowing smile. I thought he had given up prompting me to try harder to convince Andile of his error, invoking his memory to when he first joined the church and asked God if it was true—being he was one of two members of a family of at least six. I could not fathom his reason for not believing in God. I became desperate and did a no-no. 

I shared a SACRED EXPERIENCE! It was my last ditch effort to stop the flood of apostasy. I determined that Andile was the most influential youth in the Branch. The sun rose and set on his word when it came to affecting the youth—as far as I knew. 

After my Sacred Experience, a hush came that was unexpected. From the look on Andile’s face, I thought I had finally reached him, and I did—just not in the way that I intended. 

“Oh no,” I said in my mind. I could not understand. Andile looked as if he had been told some sacred secret. He admitted that he was just playing around. Apparently, he had been swamped by school and needed a diversion that day. I happened to be the perfect diversion. 

I said too much. He was shaken visibly and said that he would not ever play around like that again. Elder Thompson agreed that he should not do anything like that, and had little opinion of my Sacred Experience. 

We spoke for a few moments afterwards and prepared to leave. Of course, rain started falling in torrents. I mean, what else would happen to two missionaries rushing off to the next appointment? 

With the moment, Elder Thompson suggested we pray for the rain to stop so we could leave. I felt a bit skeptical, but agreed to participate. Elder Thompson led the prayer. He said words to this effect: “…And we ask Thee that Thou would stop the rain until we return to our boarding….” Amazingly, we three astonished people viewed the land to find the rain had stopped instantly. 

Elder Thompson stood humbly as we acknowledged God’s hand in this. Elder Thompson and I went on our way actually rejoicing that God heard his plea. 

Our journey home was too great to chance getting wet and tardiness to our next appointment—a dinner appointment. Vibrantly and surrealistically, we walked through the neighborhood; well at least I traveled that way. The colors seemed so unreal to me. Something about the entire journey appeared, well foreboding. 

We rounded the last turn to our boarding down a slightly steep hill of a street, Sakwe St. We triumphantly walked down the center of the road thinking elements obey our whim! 

How blessed were we. In view of our boarding came a sound of rushing…. In the movie, ‘A Bug’s Life, there is a scene when the ants have finally triumphed over the grasshoppers. In the midst of their celebration comes the bugs’ common nemesis, rainwater—hard and heavy in humongous drops of "we’re-going-to-be-late-now's!" 

Honestly, we were 20 meters from our front porch when the hand that stayed the flood of rain, removed—our suits getting soaked. We walked into the yard and as we approached the door, the rain stopped automatically and instantly a beautiful rainbow appeared as if God said, “Oops, did I get you wet? Here is a rainbow, sorry.” 

Elder Thompson and I just laughed. He said, “Well, we did ask him to stop the rain until we got to our boarding, not in our boarding.” Apparently, with all the energy in exhorting Andile and all the walking caused us to work-up a sweat. 

We needed a shower; and looking out for us, as He tends to do, God saw we would only take one if he provided it. We completely changed our clothes, and I mean all the way to the birthday suit. We were drenched as if pushed in a pool. God does answer prayers and showers us with blessings, literally. I miss the rains down in Africa!

Other Articles

Reality CheckI wanted to write something inspiring and great. Especially since the elections are going on today. I wanted to be out there cheering on my candidate--letting the whole world know what I believe in. Obama fans and Romney fans all arrayed for battle!

Another Testimony of Jesus Christ Mormon was a philosopher and literary genius. Following will be a brief look into the life of Mormon, the most famous Mormon in the world.

Introduction to the Writing community This window of mine is a unique way I have to organize my articles so that you, the reader

Missionary Stories: Christmas Christmas was soon approaching, and packages and letters crowded the MTC. Celebrations and firesides filled the schedules. In our district meeting a special thing occurred as I felt moved upon by the spirit.

What You Need to Know to Get Your Prayers Heard!One of the most important aspect of Truth Christianity is to know how to address the Father and in whose name we prayer. The Savior instructed all people to prayer to the Father as he prayed to the Father