The Mormon Missionaries: An inside look at their real message and methods (Second Edition) [Kindle Edition]

This book would be in my "top five" in the field. Janis gives excellent summaries of some of the latest research. Europeans did not drop their religious thinking in the "Atlantic salt water" on their way to the New World.

Janis Hutchinson boils down the main points of that hefty Tufts University work: REFINERS FIRE. Key Mormon points in their theological outline come from various groups from Europe who settled in America.

Janis' footnotes are worth reading just for the interesting tid-bits.

Hutchinson's bibliography gives superb choices for anyone doing serious research. If you're doing a college paper--this is the book to make your Inter-library Loan request list from. Books from "both sides" are cited.

Written in 'layman's language' this book suggests what books to read at the entry, medium, and advanced levels of research. No other book have I seen has such an open "educator" perspective. Like "wow!"

If you are interested in the Mormon 'occult' connection, here it is. If the Masonry tie fascinates you, here it is. If god's physical appearance in LDS perspective intrigues you, here it is. Where did the idea 'you can be as god' begin? Janis has a well thought out answer.

I am a recent [and continuing] "investigator" of the Church of Latter-Day Saints who picked up a copy of Hutchinson's book in preparation for my upcoming meetings with Mormon missionaries in Tokyo. After reading it over the course of a weekend, I found it to be a good basic introduction to some of the "anti-Mormon" arguments without the academic rhetoric (and, consequently, without the "proof") found in more academic studies. In short, it's a layperson's introduction to anti-Mormonism from a sympathetic and knowledgable author. Interested readers must realize up front that this is a NOVEL, not an objective exposition of Mormon doctrines. Her story revolves around several students at a small Bible college who are just beginning a unit on Mormonism when two Mormon missionaries suddenly show up on campus to share their faith and bear their testimonies. Encountering these testimonies, they find, is very different than studying scriptural doctrines in class, and several of the students are faced with tough questions about their own faith. In the end, the students work through many of the missionary lessons with the help of their ex-Mormon professor, who presents a convincing unit and some sage advice. Through character dialogues and general narration, a number of viable arguments are presented to help the students "see beyond" the missionary discussions without, in my opinion, degrading the honest faith of those missionaries. As I said, Hutchinson does not present proof, she only plants seeds of doubt by presenting possible alternatives to Mormon interpretations. If anything, she advises an investigator like me to be a careful listener and to make sure I understand, clarify, and follow-up on the context of the missionariy presentations before accepting or rejecting them. Readers who are looking for a more "factual" academic account of LDS faith, however, are advised to look elsewhere

Good book on understanding Mormon missionaries and Mormons who are into their faith. It is not very good at dealing with lay Mormons, nor does it go into the semantics game one has to play when dealing with Mormons.

It does a great job of dealing how Mormons do their missionary work, which is a ridged seven step program. This book details the first four visits. It also tells one how to deal with the selling points of Mormonism, which essentially is relying on emotion (aka "burning in the bosom") to accept Mormonism.

I was recommended this book along side of "The Mormon Scrapbook" by Dan Thompson. Thompson's book is a better primer on Mormonism than Hutchinson's book.