SPEAKERS AND TOPICS
Denver Snuffer
True Blue Mormon: Independent Faithfulness
He will be addressing how the teaching of seeking the Lord’s presence is part of the original restoration, and “not” a familiar tactic of the devil. Also, how the necessity for equality that is required for Zion cannot be obtained with a hierarchy that puts one person above another. Denver spent a year delivering a series of 10 lectures on the restoration in 5 states, which then resulted in a book based on the ten lectures titled “Preserving the Restoration”. Denver also worked on a series of lectures and website to advocate that Joseph Smith is a significant Christian figure, and a Christian does not need to join a Mormon congregation to find value in Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon. Since 2012, he has delivered a number of papers at the Sunstone Symposium in Salt Lake City and has spoken at conferences from California to North Carolina about the restored gospel.
Matthew Lohmeier
The Book of Mormon: An Interpretive Key to Current Events
The Book of Mormon warns its latter-day gentile stewards of certain inevitable consequences if they reject the fulness of the gospel and fail to repent. These warnings are contained in the book as prophecy. Further, the identity of the latter-day gentiles is given not only as a consistent theme of the Book of Mormon's prophet-writers, but also in the teachings of God's modern servants. How might we use these prophecies and teachings to properly orient our view of current events?
Matt was a convert to Mormonism during his Freshman year of high school. He was an active member of the Salt Lake City-based LDS Church until 2015 and had served a two-year church mission to Taiwan from 2002-2004. He and his wife Sara have two children.
Adrian Larsen
Why There’s Reason for Hope
When institutions let us down, we face the challenge of discerning between gospel truth and institutional failure. Far too often, disappointment with the church becomes rejection of the gospel and loss of faith, when a more measured approach leads to something far more hopeful and faith affirming. In this talk, we’ll address reasons to believe in the ongoing restoration, regardless of what churches may do or detractors may claim.
Adrian Larsen was raised in the LDS church and served a mission in North Carolina. He holds degrees from BYU and Logan University of Health Sciences and runs a healthcare technology company. He expresses his passion for the restored gospel by teaching, blogging, writing and fellowshipping with likeminded believers. He studies ancient and modern Hebrew and participated in the effort that produced a Book of Mormon translation specifically targeted to the Jewish people.
Adrian and his wife Tausha met at BYU and were married in the Salt Lake Temple. They are parents of seven and grandparents of two, and they love living in the Boise valley.
Whitney Horning
Removing the Stain of Polygamy from the Restoration
The late Harold Bloom, literary critic, religious scholar, and Professor of Humanities at Yale University called Joseph Smith “an authentic religious genius.” Joseph was one of this world’s greatest Christian thinkers. However, Christians disregard and discount his message because they believe he was a liar, hypocrite, sexual deviant and pedophile. They base their accusations regarding Joseph Smith and polygamy on the historical preponderance of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, previously known as the “Mormons” or the LDS Church.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints claims that Joseph Smith was commanded by God to enter into plural marriage, secretly teaching the doctrine to a select group of men and women. They base their beliefs upon the lies of John C. Bennett and others who betrayed Joseph, as well as on the post-martyrdom polygamy of Brigham Young and his followers. Joseph Smith III, oldest living son of Joseph and Emma Smith, established the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in 1860. Joseph III spent his life exonerating his father from the accusation of plural marriage. His church claimed for many generations that Joseph Smith was a faithful and honorable monogamist.
In fulfillment of prophecy, the world has long spoken both good and evil of Joseph Smith. In our day Joseph remains misrepresented, misjudged, and misunderstood, even by those churches who claim him as their founder. If Joseph was who he claimed to be, a messenger sent from the presence of God to teach us, then the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ which he began in 1830 ought to be rescued, preserved, embraced, and lived. To do so requires that we sift through history in order to discover truth. In April 1844, just a little over two months before his death, Joseph told the Mormon saints, “You don’t know me, you never knew my heart.” A few weeks later he declared, “If the doctrine that I preach is true, the tree must be good.” This talk will explore the truth behind polygamy, revealing Joseph Smith to be a man of honor, integrity, and virtue.
Doug Atwood
The Lord’s Pattern of Sending Servant Prophets
Doug comes from a large LDS family and is one of 7 boys and 2 girls. He grew up building homes with his family and continues that passion today while running his own business. Doug served a mission to New England where he met and fell in love with his wife Tonia. After serving together, they returned and were married in the Mt. Timpanogos temple. Doug and Tonia have four wonderful kids. More than anything, they love the Lord, and they love to spend time together.
Aaron Bishop
The Power to Change: A Closer Look at the Great Day of Change in the LDS Church
A discussion of the implications of what is being referred to as a “remarkable revelatory season” in Church history under the leadership of President Russell M. Nelson.
Aaron is a second-generation Mormon who was raised on the East coast, where his ancestors originally had settled in 1635. He served an LDS mission to France and Switzerland and he and his wife Darcie met in French class at BYU. They have 7 children, and their first grandchild is on his way.
Aaron has a master’s degree from Johns Hopkins University in government from its school of political science.
While an active Latter-day Saint, Aaron served in various callings including as a bishop in his former ward in Utah.