Grace's Introduction to Mormonism

I picked up Grace and her Ate Merriam from pre-school the other day (Merriam volunters there as a teachers aide). Jess and I were happy to find this Filipino school because it is a Christian school and it is near our house. Grace started going there around last August. On our way home Merriam had a concern and asked me, "Does the Bible have a book of Moses or Nephi?" Right away I recognized those books and knew that they are not from the bible. I recognized them as two books from the book of Mormon. I was puzzled and wondered why she asked me about those books. Perhaps they were studying about cults at her church. Or maybe she had a conversation with a Mormon.

Even though Merriam has only been a Christian for about two years now, she has grown a lot. We gave her a one year bible for Christmas in 2004. She read the whole thing for the first time in 05 and is well on her way to flnishing her second reading this year. Through that, the Lord has been giving her discernment. She was able to recognize that the books of Moses and Nephi were not from the bible, but she wasn't sure where they came from.

So why did she ask me about the books? Well, Grace's school is a Christian school, but unfortunatly they don't require there teachers to be Christians. Grace's teacher (teacher Tin, short for Christine) seems to be a nice girl, but she is not a Christian. In her attempt to teach bible lessons to her students she was teaching them from the book of Mormon. She had no idea that it was extra-biblical and not Christian.

After examining the book, Merriam told Tin, "I don't think this is Christian." Tin was shocked and told Merriam, "I better bring in the bible I have at home so that you can check it for me." When Merriam asked Tin where she got the book from she said that she got it from the school library.

This episode seemed to have sparked a lot of interest in Tin who agreed to and seems eager to meet with Jessica and Merriam for weekly discipleship and bible study at our house. I will try to schedule a meeting with the owner of the school soon. I hope that this will serve as a wake up call for them and that I can be a blessing to them as I offer some godly counsel.