BrotherHinds

You say two years away, but here we are in 2007 and the Republican Presidential Primaries start in January of 2008. That is less than a year away. With the low name recognition Romney has right now, and being among the top three candidates, it is important that we talk with everyone we know about Romney. It is important to discuss the issues. If we don't do so now, the 2008 primaries will be upon us before we know it and Romney will still be garnering 10-17% in the polls. Let's work to make sure by that time that everyone in this country has at least recieved some positive information about Governor Mitt Romney.

It has been said by some that Romney can't win the election, he has too little name recognition, he was governor of a liberal state, he's a Mormon. The list goes on and on with reasons he can't win, but these are the pessimists, the people that don't know Romney. The people who already support McCain or Giulliani, or Brownback, or Clinton and Obama. These are the nay sayers and the anti-mormons who can't stand the thought of a Mormon in the White House. Yet that is not the majority of America. The majority, I agree, do not know much about him, so the low name recognition aspect is correct. However there is a way to fix that. Talk to everyone you know about Mitt Romney and where he stands. Here is a place you can go to view where Mitt Romney stands: http://www.mittromney.com

Yes, Mitt Romney is running for President. Right now he is trying to obtain the Republican nomination for President. I encourage all of you to go to http://www.mittromney.com and research where he stands on the issues, watch the videos and see what kind of man Romney is.

The important thing to realize is that the country was not really voting for Democrat candidates, but rather voting to remove Republicans due to the troubles in Iraq and the recent scandals that have plagued key Republicans. We must work to correct this. I am a Republican, make no mistakes about it. I am chairman and founder of a College Republican chapter here in Texas and was previously one in Ohio. I learned things while serving as chairman in Ohio during the 2004 election. What I learned was grassroots campaigning. I learned how to organize and effective grassroots effort. The primary thing essential to any campaign, whether it is local or national, is the grassroots of the campaign. Getting in the trenches and making the people in every community realize that the candidate you are working for is the best possible choice. The most important thing we need for this effort is volunteers. We can not do it without people volunteering. We need people to go door to door, make phone calls, stuff envelopes, attend rallies, ect. There are so many exciting and fun things to do when one gets involved with a campaign and is willing to volunteer. The motto of the College Republican National Committee is, "We Make A Difference." We need to begin now, lending our support to the party we want to win in 2008. We need to get involved locally and help select those candidates to run in 2008 that will best represent us the voters. We need to lend our support to their campaigns. Yes I know this all takes time, money, and when you have church, work, family time, and soccer games, it's hard to find time to devote to a campaign. Well that is what Howard Dean said in 2004 when it came to Get Out The Vote efforts for Bush's reelection campaign, but the local Republican parties and College Republican chapters showed him wrong. We showed up in the largest percentage of voters in the last 30-40 years. We must work to do that again in 2008. Mitt Romney stands an incredibly good chance of becomming the presidential candidate for 2008 and we can not afford to see him loose this race. Get involved in the local republican parties and show your support, volunteer your time, and help us achieve victory in 2008.

I am going on discussions in my Philosphy of Religion class at Ohio State Univeristy, Newark Campus. I am also going on programs shown on the History Channel about early Christianity and Emperor Constantine.

Here are a list of Evangelicals that support Mitt Romney for President: Dr. Richard Land, President of the Southern Baptist Convention's Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission Cal Thomas, America's most widely syndicated op-ed columnist, himself an evangelical David Dockery, the president of Union University, an evangelical institution in Tennessee Chuck Colson, the leader of Prison Fellowship Ministries There is even a website out there called Evangelicals for Mitt and in the straw poll held in South Carolina at the Southern Republican Convention, Mitt Romney came in second with George Allen comming in first and John McCain comming in third. Many of those present were Evangelical Christians.

With all of the talk of elections swerling around the news today, I wonder about Mitt Romney, the Governor of Massachusetts. Romney decided this year not to seek reelection as Governor, and previously stated that he would not remain Governor while running for President at the same time. He has not sought any Senate or House seats for himself, so does that mean he will be running for the White House in 2008 against Hillary Clinton? I personally feel he is the best man for the job. I am not even considering any other candidates at this point. His record is stellar. One thing I did not know about the man, that I just found out recently, is that he is the only elected official currently serving in the executive branch and the upper levels of government that has chosen not to take a salary for his service as Governor. He is not paid for his job as Governor. some other things he has done while in office in Massachusetts: 1) He has taken the Mass. economy from a $1.3 billion deficit to a $500 million surplus. 2) He has increased standards in education within the state to hold teachers and students accountable and reward good teachers for the job they do instead of their years on the job. 3) He proposed and signed state legislation to provide health insurance to almost everyone in Massachusetts without raising taxes. 4) He has proposed bills to provide $100 laptops to all middle and high school students, provide $15,000 a year bonuses for top performing math and science teachers, creation of English immersion classes for students that cannot speak English as opposed to bilingual education. 5) He has stood against gay marriage in Massachusetts and before the U.S. Senate. 6) He proposed a bill that would have brought back the death penalty in Massachusetts with DNA evidence being required to sentence someone to death and implemented a tougher standard of "no doubt" of guilt for juries. 7) Proposed and signed into law, Melanie's Bill that greatly increased penalties for repeat drunk drivers. 8) Has openly opposed Roe v. Wade because he feels that the individual states and the people of those states should decide. Romney feels that each state government should put the issue of abortion to a vote of the people and whatever the result of that vote should be the law in that state, rather than a nation wide "one size fits all" Supreme Court ruling. 9) Vetoed an emergency contraceptive bill. 10) Vetoed a bill in 2004 that would have allowed illegal immigrants, that graduated from a Massachusetts high school and had attended the school for at least three years, to attend college at in state tuition rates. 11) He has highly supported energy conservation and alternative energy in Massachusetts and in the nation. Given the things Mitt Romney has done as Governor of the most liberal state in the nation, it seems he would be the perfect candidated for president in 2008. He views public service as simply that, service, not a job or career in which one should be paid. He believes in ending corruption. He balanced the budget in Massachuesetts and produced a surplus. He produced the best winter olympics on record after restructuring a corrupt board of directors, removing officials at the center of the scandals, balancing the budget for 2002 Olympic Games and operating under budget. Romney has attempted to set an example of strong leadership, integrity, and compassion that will become even more pronounced if he runs for president of the United States. What is your oppinion?

WHYYYYYYY! Oh Why do people who are investigating the church continually go to anti-LDS websites, books, and videos put out by people who have manipulated the truth, and used every possible means they can think of to destroy the Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints? Satan wants nothing more than to destroy the work of the Lord. Ever since that humble prayer offered in that small grove of trees in Palmyra, New York in the spring of 1820, the adversary has raged with unquenchable determination against this work. You have not even READ the Book of Mormon from one cover to the next and yet you are begining to judge it. Set asside everything that anyone has said or written about the Book of Mormon and just read it from cover to cover. As you read it, pray about and ponder it's contents. Do not pay attention to any of the anti-LDS stuff out there, just read the book. If the Book of Mormon is true you will know by reading it and praying about what you have read, if it is not true, you will know by the same means. I add to this my testimony that the Book of Mormon is the word of God, as is the Bible as far as it is translated correctly. I Know for a fact that the Book of Mormon is true, that Joseph Smith, Jr. did see God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ. I know that Joseph Smith, Jr. did handle the gold plates, and translated them into what is today the Book of Mormon. I know that the fulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is now upon the earth and was restored by way of Joseph Smith, Jr., a prophet of God the Eternal Father. I know that every president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints is, and have been prophets of God the Eternal Father. I know these things because I personally have heard the voice of the Lord Jesus Christ speak these things to me and the Holy Spirit testified to my soul that these things were true. Glory be to God for His infinite mercy in revealing these things to me, for I was going about attempting to destroy this great work, even after I had been baptized a member of the Church. I was persecuting my fellow members, seeking to lead them away. I was heading down a path that if this event in my life had not occurred I would have proceeded further down that path to the point of no return. Nothing will ever shake me from this testimony that I have. I would face the most painful and humiliating torture one could devise for any human being and still would not deny what I know in my heart of hearts and with every fabric of my soul to be true. I leave you to ponder these words. Sincerely, Brandon Hinds

I believe you are wrong in that assessment, because from the studying I have done, Constantine did not fully convert to Christianity until he was on his death bed. Up until that point he was still worshiping at the pagan temples and praying to Mars, Jupitar, and Venus.

One of the main reasons that those people disagreed with the deeper doctrines is because the did not fully understand, follow, nor appreciate the principles and ordinances of the gospel that come prior to the more complex and deeper doctrines. So many people are prideful and want to have everything and know everything right now. You can't have it all at once or you will not fully appreciate the greater ordinances and principles. The same as all the prophets have been taught and administered the doctrines of the Gospel so must we. Line upon line, precept upon precept. You wanted Soooo bad to know the deeper things of the Gospel before being baptised and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost in order to more fully understand and appreciate them. You did not then go through the new member discussions, hold callings, attend temple prep class, ect. that come before the temple ordinances in which you learn much of the deeper doctrines in an environment where they can be more fully understood, and if one truly enters that environment being truly clean, then you will understand by way of the Spirit, and you will more fully appreciate those things taught therein. The prophets were taught this way, even Abraham and Moses. We must be willing to humble ourselves, and "become like even as little children, submissive, meek, humple, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things..." Brother Hinds

The thing is pushka, The doctrines of the Gospel Christ have always been taught line upon line, precept upon precept. The ordinances of the Gospel of Christ are administered line upon line, precept upon precept. You learn the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel, gain a testimony of those principles and those foundational doctrines, go through those ordinances that apply, and then continue on beyond that. You can not fully understand nor appreciate the more complex doctrines until you have gained a testimony of the simpler doctrines and gone through the ordinances relating to them. I am sure you have heard this all before and don't buy it, or rather don't understand why it has to be that way. But it is the way the Gospel has been taught since day one, "Line upon line, precept upon precept. Here a little, there a little." Brother Hinds

Yes blazius, I am well aware that not everything I put into that list is taken from the Sermon on the Mount. First of all, read the sentence that proceeds that list, "Here are the commandments of Christ I find just in The Gospel According to St. Matthew". Does that sentence imply that I was meaning only the Sermon on the Mount as found in Matthew? I did not mean for it to imply such, but rather made reference to the Sermon on the Mount to build my case that there were more commandments given by Christ that to "Love the Lord" and to "Love thy neighbor". Also in reference to #8 "Swear not at all." I was not meaning foul language. If I had meant foul language I would have refered to swearing as using profanity rather than swearing or cussing or cursing. I meant the swearing of oaths, for Christ does command to "Swear not at all, but let thy communication be yay yay, nay nay." Perhaps that is the way I should have typed it to make it clearer. Thanks for the oportunity to better explain myself. Brother Hinds

Scott and Kate, Thank you for comming to this site, and thank you for you interest in the Book of Mormon and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I understand your concerns because I have stood where you now stand. I am not sure, Scott, if Elder Wilson is still serving in your area or not, but I highly recommend that you continue to discuss these things with the missionaries in your area. I recommend the same to you as well Kate. You asked first off about the Book of Mormon, where it comes from, who it comes from, what is it's purpose, and what is it. I will answer that question by quoting from the title page and introduction to that very book: <blockquote>The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ. An account written by the hand of Mormon upon plates taken from the plates of Nephi. Wherefore it is an abridgement of the record of the people of Nephi, and also of the Lamanites -- Written to the Lamanites, who are a remnant of the house of Israel; and also to Jew and Gentile -- Written by way of commandment, and also by the spirit of prophecy and of revelation -- Written and sealed up, and hid up unto the Lord, that they might not be destroyed -- To come forth by the gift and power of God unto the interpretation thereof -- sealed by the hand of Moroni, and hid up unto the Lord, to come forth in due time by way of the Gentile -- The interpretation thereof by the gift of God. An abridgment taken from the Book of Ether also, which is a record of the people of Jared, who were scattered at the time the Lord confounded the language of the people, when they were building a tower to get to heaven—Which is to show unto the remnant of the House of Israel what great things the Lord hath done for their fathers; and that they may know the covenants of the Lord, that they are not cast off forever—And also to the convincing of the Jew and Gentile that JESUS is the CHRIST, the ETERNAL God, manifesting himself unto all nations—And now, if there are faults they are the mistakes of men; wherefore, condemn not the things of God, that ye may be found spotless at the judgment-seat of Christ. TRANSLATED BY JOSEPH SMITH, Jun.</blockquote> Now the Introduction: <blockquote>The Book of Mormon is a volume of holy scripture comparable to the Bible. It is a record of God’s dealings with the ancient inhabitants of the Americas and contains, as does the Bible, the fulness of the everlasting gospel. The book was written by many ancient prophets by the spirit of prophecy and revelation. Their words, written on gold plates, were quoted and abridged by a prophet-historian named Mormon. The record gives an account of two great civilizations. One came from Jerusalem in 600 B.C., and afterward separated into two nations, known as the Nephites and the Lamanites. The other came much earlier when the Lord confounded the tongues at the Tower of Babel. This group is known as the Jaredites. After thousands of years, all were destroyed except the Lamanites, and they are the principal ancestors of the American Indians. The crowning event recorded in the Book of Mormon is the personal ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ among the Nephites soon after his resurrection. It puts forth the doctrines of the gospel, outlines the plan of salvation, and tells men what they must do to gain peace in this life and eternal salvation in the life to come. After Mormon completed his writings, he delivered the account to his son Moroni, who added a few words of his own and hid up the plates in the hill Cumorah. On September 21, 1823, the same Moroni, then a glorified, resurrected being, appeared to the Prophet Joseph Smith and instructed him relative to the ancient record and its destined translation into the English language. In due course the plates were delivered to Joseph Smith, who translated them by the gift and power of God. The record is now published in many languages as a new and additional witness that Jesus Christ is the Son of the living God and that all who will come unto him and obey the laws and ordinances of his gospel may be saved. Concerning this record the Prophet Joseph Smith said: “I told the brethren that the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book.” In addition to Joseph Smith, the Lord provided for eleven others to see the gold plates for themselves and to be special witnesses of the truth and divinity of the Book of Mormon. Their written testimonies are included herewith as “The Testimony of Three Witnesses” and “The Testimony of Eight Witnesses.” We invite all men everywhere to read the Book of Mormon, to ponder in their hearts the message it contains, and then to ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ if the book is true. Those who pursue this course and ask in faith will gain a testimony of its truth and divinity by the power of the Holy Ghost. (See Moroni 10: 3-5.) Those who gain this divine witness from the Holy Spirit will also come to know by the same power that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world, that Joseph Smith is his revelator and prophet in these last days, and that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the Lord’s kingdom once again established on the earth, preparatory to the second coming of the Messiah.</blockquote> I hope this helps. If you have any further questions, which I am sure you will, please do not hesitate to ask myself or the missionaries in your area. I do not have all the answers to your questions, but I will try to answer them as best I can. Also, please read the Book of Mormon and pray about it. Sincerely, Brother Hinds

Yes, I agree that we can not be perfect. None of us can be. We can not possibly keep ALL the commandments. Each and every one of us will fall short at some point in our lives, and that is where repentance and grace come in. But there are more commandments than just those two that you mentioned Christ giving. Ever read the Sermon on the Mount? Here are the commandments of Christ I find just in The Gospel According to St. Matthew: 1) Love the Lord thy God with all thy might, mind, and strength. 2) Love thy neighbor as thyself. 3) Love thy enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you and despitefully use you and persecute you. 4) Be baptised. 5) Worship the Lord thy God, Him only shalt thou serve. 6) Thou shalt not live by bread alone, but by every word that procedeth from the mouth of God. 7) Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. 8) Swear not at all. 9) Turn the other cheek. 10) Give to all those that ask of thee. 11) Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. 12) Judge not lest ye be judged. 13) Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them. 14) I the Lord will forgive whom I will forgive, but of you it is required to forgive all men. Brother Hinds

blazius, The commandments we are to keep are all the commandments of God. This includes the Ten Commandments, the commandments from Christ, we are to keep all covenants we make with the Lord, and any new commandments given through prophets of God such as the word of wisdom. Read and study the Bible, Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, the Pearl of Great Price, and General Conference addresses and you will know what commandments you are to keep. Brother Hinds