Look at This Letter From The Netherlands!

Reply | Reply to all | Forward | Print | Delete | Show original Brother Art, it is about time to send a more substantial note to you again, so here I go. I still have no internet connection, so I go to the local library to make a try. Since I found your website, quite incidentally, I have been listening to all of your messages. I have now secured on my computer all these discourses, from the beginning of the broadcasts. I am listening very carefully because I am dedicated to the truth wherever I can find it. Let me tell you a little about my background. My grandfather, the father of my mother, was baptised in the year 1914 when he was 24 years old. His family, very strict protestants, told him he was about to join the church of the devil, but he was sure he had found the truth and he wanted to follow it. In 1949 he and his wife, together with my aunt, my mother's only sister, emigrated to SLC/Utah, to gather in Zion, as they saw it, and to be near the temple. My mother had already become inactive as a member, since she married to my father, who considered Joseph Smith as a false prophet. I have always been very interested in the story of the restoration of the gospel by Joseph Smith, that I considered as logic and necessary, and very consistent as well. In 1966, when I was 16 years old, I found some church material somewhere on a bookshelf, Ensigns, a Book of Mormon and "A Rational Theology" by John A. Widtsoe, translated into the Dutch language in 1933. I read everything and was ready for the church. I started to attend church meetings and was baptised in 1967. Although I was never a fanatic church-going type, the Gospel has always been of great interest to me and I tried to read as much I could get my hands on; the New Testament, James Talmage, Teachings of the prophet Joseph Smith and the Doctrines of Salvation by Joseph Fielding Smith, etc. Especially this last work became my favorite. I read the three volumes over and over again, and I gained much of my knowledge of the restored Gospel and everything pertaining to human life and creation from this work especially, for which I appreciate and admire this president, also for his straight position on gospel topics. More and more however I got the feeling, as the years passed, that something was missing, that something was not right in our present day church. I was wondering what really had happened with polygamy in the original church, why the united order and the gathering to Zion was given up. And why no more revelations? Had we become like the protestants? Here your website comes in. I have recorded and listened to all your broadcasts and I must say that these have filled most if not all these gaps. The discourses that you have given over the years have greatly enhanced my understanding and knowledge of the gospel and the purpose of human life, and also of the history of the church and its leaders. Little by little I also get to understand that this church is denying or hiding or at least ignoring things that are of the highest importance, even for our salvation. For me this is shocking and beyond understanding. So I am quite satisfied with you and your website to fill this enormous gap. After reading your Lectures on true Doctrine my mind has become more satisfied and relieved. Many things have become more clear to me and many of my questions have been answered. Right now I am downloading, printing and reading all the Revelations. I am very pleased with all this. If you are not the Mighty and Strong you are definitely a Mighty and Strong, and an inspiring teacher. Hearing your first conversation with a person by the name of Chris was a bit emotional for me. I was delighted to hear this young man giving his testimony, mentioning the American dream as the New Age Babylon, considering this world in the most sinful state that it has ever been, being acquainted with the Teachings of the Prophet JS etc. For a person of his age this is remarkable and wonderful in my eyes. If ever you may speak to him again, please tell him that there is a brother in the Netherlands who heard him giving his testimony and who is proud of his opinion and attitude. About you Art, while listening I get to understand some of the difficulties and afflictions you went through in the past, both publicly and privatly, and I sympathise with you. I have had my share as well, even to the point that I could say that I have, as the D&C says, a broken heart and a contrite spirit. But with greater effort I am searching fot the lord and his messengers, hoping that I will find Him that I seek, my redeemer and that I can meet Him one day and that I might be acceptable to be in His presence, if only somewhere in some corner just to be able to behold Him for whom I have so much affection and admiration. This is what keeps me going. Thank you so much for your continuing efforts for the redemption of Zion. I still have some questions, but I'll go through that later. Goodbye Art, until a next time. From brother Rik, the Netherlands.

my reply :

Dear brother Henrik,

I received your e-mail with much rejoicing. It is gratifying to know that there is at least one person out there who is pressing forward in Christ by feasting on every word, as it were. I received the word of the Lord for you and it is this, that you must somehow travel here to receive the ordinances of the New Covenant . After that it may be best that you continue to live in the Netherlands and perhaps I can ordain you a Traveling Bishop to give you authority to organize branches and wards, in order to prepare the people for the gathering to Zion. In the New Covenant, Art Bulla

Posted via email from The Redemption of Zion