“Are Mormons Christian?” by Stephen E. Robinson is an outstanding MP3 download.  This remarkable book’s objective is not to declare or defend Mormonism, but to examine the techniques used to exclude Mormons from being regarded as Christians.

Exclusions by:
1. Definition:  Definitions are drawn up with the purpose of excluding. The stacking of the deck amounts to saying, “Mormons are not Christian because they don’t believe as we do.”

2. Misrepresentation: Intentional citing of doctrines or practices that simply are not adhered to by Mormons. This device also is used to find obscure ideas that never rose to the status of Church doctrine.

3. Name calling: “Cult” is the favorite term designed to infer “non-Christian”, though the term does not fit.

4. Historical: Mormons are excluded from being Christian, because they have not gone through all the history of Christianity. To be fair, this exclusion must therefore fall upon Christ, Paul, and all others not experiencing the whole history.

5. Canon: Catholic Bibles have twelve more books than other Christians, yet they are not excluded.

6. Doctrine: Saints Clement, Ireneaus, Augustine, Simon the New Theologian as late as the 11th century taught the deification of man. Martin Luther endorsed plural marriage for Henry VIII, approved of and attended the plural marriage of a German prince. Yet Catholics and Lutherans are not excluded from being Christian. Double standards?

Conclusions:  The exclusions are consciously being used for the sole purpose of excluding, even at the expense of fairness. Considerations of a belief in Christ as a standard for being a Christian is carefully avoided.

This book, “Are Mormons Christian?” by Stephen Robinson is very interesting and informative, and I would highly recommend it.

K. Stevenson,
Salt Lake City, Utah; Gospel Doctrine Teacher

I love to get a shot of prayer confidence from our leaders and from those who have studied the topic!  I just finished listening to “The Intimate Touch of Prayer” by Truman G. Madsen, and it was quite uplifting!  I grew up in the church, but didn’t always understand prayer.  It has only be in the last decade that it has really become important to me, I am sorry to say. 

I have come to realize the importance, and the comfort of family prayer, as well as individual prayer.  Prayer doesn’t have to last for a long time.  It can be quite short.  One can be by one’s self, or in a crowd of people.  It just doesn’t matter.  The Spirit will easily prompt and guide us in our prayers.  We just have to be willing to ask, and to listen. 

Brother Madsen points out that prayer is not like a spare tire, to be put on when needed!  It should be a daily occurrence!  Thankfully, the Lord is merciful, and will always listen to us, whether we are righteous, or trying to be righteous!  We can pray in our extremities, but most importantly, we need to pray in gratitude!  We shouldn’t use vain repetitions, but there will be repetition!  We should pray with the faith of a little child!  How sweet and how pure!  The trick is being one!  The Lord has promised us so much, if we just have faith!  We are never unworthy to pray!
 
These are just some of the things to be learned in this wonderful MP3 download, “The Intimate Touch of Prayer” by Truman Madsen!  I loved it!  It isn’t long, and can be listened to many times!  Something new pops out each time I have listened!  Prayer can help the mind become strong!  What an incredible gift to us!
 
K. Meyer,
Castlerock, Colorado

Within Reach by Robert L. Millet is an Mp3 audio book that works through the common LDS struggle with the question “are we going to make it?”  Robert L. Millet uses his experiences in priesthood and leadership callings, as well as the words of modern day prophets - those who spent a great deal of time studying the atonement of Jesus Christ, to create a book full of peace giving principles on the worth of our souls as well as the value of our efforts towards eternal life.

Early in this book, which part initially grabbed and held on to my attention, Robert L. Millet describes various anonymous past experiences in temple recommend interviews he conducted with faithful members of the church.  Upon completing a regular interview, he sometimes took occasion to ask additional questions.  For instance - If you were to die and pass right through to the kingdom of glory you deserve, where would you be?  Almost invariably, he says the member of his ward would place themselves in the Terrestrial kingdom, because they were not “perfect”.  At that point, the author would teach his ward member about the importance of best efforts, and that loving the Lord in a way that leaves one worthy of a temple recommend also places him/her on the path that leads to eternal life.  He invites them and us as readers to “hold on, hope on”, because chances are “we’re going to make it”.

Recently, I had been invited to speak in an Ogden, Utah ward, as well as teach the Elder’s Quorum in my home ward about principles that revolve around this topic.  For these purposes alone, I am grateful to have had access to this great testimony from Robert L. Millet.  In both instances we discussed that we can all be better, but that the imperfect efforts made by good members of the church who always show up, magnify their callings, and, as we concluded, are they that “hunger and thirst after righteousness” have been promised to be filled with that for which they seek (Matthew 5:6).  It has been comforting to me, as I have studied and born witness of these great teachings, that we do not have to be perfect to receive those blessings of Heaven if we walk and pave that road (contrary to the popular saying) with good intentions, “[we’re] doing better than [we] think; perfection is… Within Reach!”  Within Reach by Robert L. Millet is a great book which is well worth listening to over and over again.R. Dunn,
Syracuse, Utah  

“Of Lions, Dragons, and Turkish Delight’ by S. Michael Wilcox is an MP3 Talk on LDSAudio.com. 

S. Michael Wilcox did his dissertation on C. S. Lewis, who wrote a series of books called ‘’The Chronicles of Narnia”, among others.  C. S. Lewis is loved by many Latter-day Saints who are intrigued by insights in his books that parallel LDS doctrines.  For three years Brother Wilcox read all of C. S. Lewis’ s books, and learned what some of these parallels were.  I was interested to know that he compares the Lion, in the “Chronicles of Narnia…the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe”, to Christ; and if anyone has seen that movie, then they can also see that parallel.   Brother Wilcox talks about how C. S. Lewis teaches us about our ability to become like God, and how God has the desire to bring happiness to our souls.

Although C. S. Lewis was an athiest in his youth, he became a very devoted Christian, and now almost all Christian denominations claim him, because he had something that appeals to all of us.   Michael Wilcox points out that C.S. Lewis  hated school and called one of his school experiences “Concentration Camp”.  He was always happy to see summer come.  Lewis later came to believe that anything that had to do with Christianity (such as scriptures, etc.) was given to us not only to produce better men and to help us to live a good life, but that there was a specific end, and that was to aquire a great amount of JOY.  That joy was to become like God; to become an immortal creature.  

I enjoyed listening to “Of Lions, Dragons, and Turkish Delight” by S. Michael Wilcox very much!  It was very enlightening! 

J. Stevenson
Asotin, Washington