Hi lovingothers, and welcome to the Christian chat forums. If it's ok with you I would rather address you as Lo as opposed to typing your name out. I'm also glad your willing to listen and understand other points of view which leads me to ask you a question or two. Let me also tell you I am not LDS but I know about what your Church teaches.
According to Joseph Smith's own testimony he was 15 years old when he had his first vision. Note? I'm not going to type all that he said but just the main points. He said he went out to pray early in the spring of 1820. He saw two personages whose brightness and glory defy all description standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name, and said, pointing to the other, "This is my beloved Son, hear Him." (Btw, this is a quote from the Bible at Mark 9:7).
Smith then said there appeared to him the Father and the Son in bodily form. Smith said "My object in going to inquire of the Lord was to know "which of all the sects was right, that I might know which to join. I was answered that I must join none of them, for they were all wrong; and the personage who addressed me said that all their creeds were an abomination in his sight; that those professors were all corrupt; that they draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; they teach for doctrines the commandments of man, having the form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof."
I would like you to address two points about all of this. First of all, the Bible is clear that God the Father does not have a body of flesh and bone. In fact, Jesus Christ Himself stated at John 5:37, And the Father Himself, who sent Me, has testified of Me. You have neither heard His vlice at any time, NOR SEEN HIS FORM." And at John 6:46, "Not that any man hath seen the Father, except he who is from God, he hath seen the Father." Then there is also 1 Timothy 6:16 which I suggest you can read for yourself.
Here's the second issue I would like you to consider and address. When Joseph Smith ask the question of which sect he should join or which one was right is really a "foolish" question? In other words, salvation is not based on which church one joins. Salvation is based on having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ when He comes into your heart. Ephesians 2:8,9, "For by grace you have (past tense) been saved through faith; NOT by works that any man should boast. Water baptism, doing good works, following ordinances does not save you. I'll stop here and wait for you to address these two issues I raised.
PS: Like I said, please address the two issues I raised and do not go into addressing James 2:24. I'll be glad to answer that later and in much more detail. Thanks!
IN GOD THE SON,
bluto