My ward conference was two weeks ago. I was barred from attending in-person, but watched it live via the private YouTube stream. When the members were asked for any opposing votes to the offices of Stake President, Bishop, and Priests Quorum President, I raised my hand, even though I was in my home alone.
The at home members were then instructed to notify the stake president if we had an opposing vote. So I immediately wrote a short and sweet email to the stake president, whom I was opposing, notifying him of my opposition to those callings.
Fast forward to Saturday May 1, 2021, and I come home to a voice message from the bishop, whose callings I voted opposed to. Telling me that my own callings had to be “switched out” to someone else the following day, because I wasn’t attending.
Attending what?!!!
I tuned in the fallowing day to my ward’s sacrament stream on YouTube, and sure enough, I was release with a vote of thanks, presumably. (The camera never shows the congregation, despite the fact that I personally programmed it’s ability to do so, it’s the operators decision.) My callings weren’t specifically mentioned, but I consider it a valid release.
Anyway, I am an open book, so here is my official response I offered to the bishopric via an email with the subject line “Thank You For “Releasing Me” LOL”:
“Hi Bro. Carter. I just want you to know that I have received the voice mail you left me. Thank you for “releasing” me from these callings. I now know, without any doubt, that you are in fact releasing people as a personal vendetta and penalty for opposing you, even when we are 100% compliant, as I am. I had suspected, but now I have the proof.
“First of all, I need to point out that I do not oppose my release. After-all, I did ask to be released a few times since November 18. It’s pretty obvious I cannot perform the duties of either of those callings if I am forbidden to enter the premises.
“For my release, I say thank you.
“I do contest your decision to do so without consulting me in person, and for the excuse you used to release me. In the voice mail you claimed that if I wasn’t going to attend, I needed to be switched out.
“Attend what? I have literally been attending every meeting and activity that I have been made aware of and am permitted to attend. I have even been hosting the Aaronic Priesthood zoom meetings, of which I have been the only attendee since you allowed in-person meetings, even though those meeting are supposed to accessible also through Zoom, which they have been, I know because I have been hosting them.
“What else was I supposed to “attend”? Neither you nor the stake presidency have rescinded or retracted your unrighteous requirement to wear a mask inside the Holbrook meeting house, yet. As soon as you or they, or your replacement, or their replacements, do start to allow all members to enter the meetinghouse without a mask, I will be attending in person.
“Our current instruction from the stake presidency, and you personally, is that masks are required in Malad Idaho Stake meetinghouses, and those who attend in-person meetings inside meetinghouses without a mask are disrespecting those who do wear the mark.
“As unrighteous and evil as that directive is, I am compliant with it. Since I will not wear the mark of the beast, I comply with your, and the stake presidents, instruction by “participating from home”.
“You are penalizing me for doing exactly what I have been told to do.
“As you are 100% well aware, your position, and that of the stake “leaders”, on this matter, directly opposes and contradicts the instruction, direction, counsel, and guidelines provided by president Russell M. Nelson, the first presidency, the apostles, and the general authorities of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, issued clear back in May of last year.
“Which are as follows:
“If you are sick, stay home. If you have to leave while sick, wear a mask. To avoid getting sick, avoid people who are coughing and sneezing.
“Anything more than that comes from the devil, anything less of that comes from the devil.
“Repent now before it’s too late. Invite us all to enter the meetinghouse of our Lord and Savior, who invite ALL, members or not, mark or not, to come unto him, whether we wear a mask or not.
“I remind you, yet again, that no other man on Earth has authority to dictate what other people have wear in order to hear the words of Christ, or partake of his holy sacrament.
“Come back unto Christ. Stand once more in the holy places of the spirit of Christ and the true gospel and doctrine of Jesus Christ and his rightful Church.
“Eventually, the meetinghouses will once again be opened to in-person meetings. At this point, the question isn’t will it happen, but whether God has to release you to get it done. If you are up-to-date with your Come, Follow Me lessons, then you will learn this week that you should have never cast any of us out from our meetings, especially the sacrament meeting.
“Please make amends with all of us whom you have wronged, by the requiring of the mark of the beast in order to enter into the Lords house, by publicly apologizing and formally rescinding and retracting the requirement to wear a mask in the Lord’s meetinghouse in Holbrook, and invite all of us, who you’ve cast out, to return, with or without a mask, to partake of the sacrament and of His words, and declare that it is not disrespectful to others to not wear a mask.
“I leave you with one final request, please watch and read Dieter F. Uchtdorf’s speech titled “What Is Truth” from his Church Educational System devotional of Jan. 13, 2013.
“Video: https://youtu.be/WKd04a4xa08
“Transcript: https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/dieter-f-uchtdorf/what-is-truth
“The speech covers many of the false doctrine and snares that you and the other stake leaders have fallen for this past year.
“Remember, you can always repent, change your eternal course back to Jesus Christ and truth.
“You may also find this video from the Church helpful, it’s titled “What is Revelation”: https://youtu.be/pj1TNrciyZc
“Hopefully it will help you recognize false claims of prophecy and the false prophets who make them.
“It is my testimony that David Jensen is not a prophet, and he is not receiving revelation for the Church, as it is recorded that you have wrongfully claimed.
“When the Holbrook meetinghouse is once again open to everyone, as God has always wanted it, I will once again attend in-person meetings, and I’ll see you there.”
I truly hope he repents.
