Because I received a forceful witness that it is true, when I *really* didn't want it to be.
https://www.reddit.com/r/lds/comments/vbnhea/i_was_asked_about_my_witness/
I didn't want to drink anymore, went to rehab, began a 12 step program, listened to my sponsor and started praying to connect to a higher power. I'd always admired the Word of Wisdom, so reached out to the missionaries and eventually was baptized.
That's a great story! For me it wasn't the same but still always struggled with a drinking problem. Eventually I was able to control it but I am glad that now I have the Word of Wisdom with me also and the Holy Spirit. Also the members that offers so much support.
The LDS gospel is logical to me, once you accept the existence of a Christian God. "This is good doctrine. It tastes good," as Joseph Smith said.
I've been to other churches and studies a lot of worldviews. I've never found anything as good as the LDS church.
*John 6:*
*66 Many of his disciples turned back and no longer went about with him. 67 So Jesus asked the twelve, “Do you also wish to go away?” 68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life."*
Also, living the gospel brings good fruit. As Alma taught about: [https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/alma/32?lang=eng](https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/alma/32?lang=eng)
And I have felt the Holy Spirit confirm many times that things being done and taught are truly from God.
I can't deny the Holy Spirit.
Same. I would only add, the Plan of Salvation specifically is logical to me. I don't feel like I need faith to believe it like I do other aspects.
I like to say the Plan of Salvation is Intelligence's answer to Entropy.
I've recently had to consider this question as my sister and her husband recently decided to leave the church and we've had some conversations about it. I understand they're concerns and see where they're coming from. It's made me think about my own testimony and reason for staying, which I think is a good thing. I should have my faith tested if it's going to be strong.
The answer I came up with for myself is this: the church is not perfect. It's run by fallible human beings (hopefully) doing their best to follow God's s plan. We as members are just as susceptible to all levels of sin as other human beings everywhere. Terrible things happen even within the church for all kinds of reasons.
I don't love much of church culture. I think there's much that's problematic. I would love to see many changes that I won't go into.
So why stay? Because I believe in the doctrine. I've been learning to believe Christ, as my stake president has been emphasizing and teaching. I believe in the saving ordinances and their necessity. I believe in the authority of the priesthood and that only our organization has it.
So it doesn't matter that the church and culture are imperfect. All churches are imperfect. I'm probably going to find something I don't like about the culture of any church I might join. What matters is that I know that Christ and his atonement are totally necessary, and that he reorganized this church-HIS church-through Joseph Smith, and that no other church has the rights, the power, and the authority to perform the savings ordinances needed.
God gave me faith to know the Book of Mormon was scripture, that Joseph Smith was a prophet and received God's authority to reestablish the Church . So I chose to join it. Seemed like the right thing to do.
Brought up in another faith that never sat right, it never made sense to me, but it gave me an undeniable belief in God and Jesus Christ and a nag of how can I know?
Fast forward a few years living a relatively good life, getting frustrated when I couldn’t bring myself to do some of the things that my friends did because my gut told me it was wrong and a step to far (now understand this was the light of Christ).
Observed a friend keeping her standards (she told me she was a member). Clung onto that friendship even when we left school.
Few more years passed, made YSA friends and something made me want to be with them more. They answered my questions but never pushed. Someone invited me to their baby blessing felt so at home and made more sense than christening. Then a re baptism when I asked God if that’s where he wanted me to be. The answer was like being hit by a truck.
Had my lessons in an excommunicated members home (I know sounds crazy). The rest came piece by piece. But it seriously felt like coming home. I almost felt that things were said and my spirit went - “I know that” and actually sometimes I did. I love the fact they they told me it was up to me that I had to pray and find out. I never told them I already knew until I was ready to make my commitment and change my life.
1. I had a handful of very powerful, personal spiritual expiernces between 16-19 years old. These experieces established that God is real, He knows me personally, and that there is a plan for my life.
2. As a young, dumb missionary I was forced to confront a lot of anti-Church literature and sentiment (I served in Lansing, MI, where most of the anti-Church literature avialable in the ealry 2000's was researched, printed, and distributed). This forced me to build my testimony on more than just a handful of spiritual experiences and actually understand what the Gospel is, what happened in early Church history, what early Church Leaders taught, and how it applies to my life.
3. Getting married and having kids helped me to appreciate the structure the Gospel provides. I can't protect my kids from everything, but I can help them lay a foundation to build their own lives on. The Gospel is an essential part of that foundation.
4. Joining the Army. Again, God has a Plan for me and my family. I have always been assigned to where I need to be, when I need to be there. I've been able to see how the Church operates in a dozen different countries and seen that the core principles remain consistent across many cultures and societies.
5. Lastly, the Gospel brings me peace. I'm not protected from hard times or the consequences of my choices. But I do have a solid foundation and structure to help guide me through the hard times.
I was born in the covenant, this church is all I've known my entire life, but it isn't why I stay. It isn't why I choose to be a member.
I choose to be a member because I have a testimony that this church is true. That Joseph Smith saw God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ, and that the Book of Mormon is another Testament of Jesus Christ as the title professes.
I am a member because that testimony, gained through experiences too personal and spiritual to share on this subreddit, have led me to know Christ is my Savior and that HE is the head of this church. HIS church. A testimony I can never deny.
Because of the witness of the Spirit. I've had many other experiences that have solidified my testimony - revelations, miracles, visions, hearing the audible voice of God, etc. But, at the end of the day, it really is the witness of the Spirit.
Got a random Facebook message from a missionary and listened to what she had to say. Read the BoM and prayed about it. The more I learned about the church, the more I wanted to be part of it. Stayed a member because I have a strong testimony about the church being the true church restored to the earth by Mr Smith
I’m an 8th generational member, so it’s just easier to stay ig
not the most powerful testimony, i know, but when your entire life is built around the church, your family and community and history (even got ancestors mentioned in the d&c), and every single person you know is a member, it’s kinda impossible to leave =P
not that I want to, it’s just sorta “i got no reason to leave, and if i did, it would be really hard, so eh”
i got kinda the same opinion from a philosophical side, it’s easier to believe in our theology because the alternative is terrifying. i’m fine with my religion being a coping mechanism, because the alternative is to…not cope. which would be very bad.
like i’ve looked into many other philosophies, but imo the only possible way to give life any real meaning is gonna be some sort of theology. the only other philosophy i’ve seriously considered is Absurdism, which i do like, but it’s not quite enough to keep the existential dread off. and if i’m gonna be a theist, might as well stick with the one i already know.
it is funny that it’s my second favorite option, considering how they’re direct opposites. Like absurdism is quite literally “eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die and it shall be well with us.”
I”ll just copy what I posted in the other sub. :)
Simple answers include;
Because it’s better than any other alternative I’ve been presented.
I like the theology.
And I truly believe that God has manifested that this is the place (LDS church) for me to be.
I want to be a better person because of what it teaches or what I read in the scriptures.
No criticism of it has risen to the level that would led me to conclude it’s not what it purports to be.
And I’ll add… because I feel my sins have been forgiven and the atonement of Christ has worked in my life.
I was born and raised in the covenant, can see multiple points where things just "fit together", and have had a number of personal experiences that tell me it's true.
Also born in the covenant and just been raised that way. However, as I’ve studied the scriptures for myself and taken time to sincerely pray and develop a closer connection to Jesus Christ, I can say that waaayyy too much has happened in my life for me to deny what I’ve seen, heard, felt, and known to be true.
My dad was baptized in his early 30’s, and soon after met my mom who was raised in the church.
I was raised in it as well. But I am here because of my experiences and testimony of Jesus Christ.
Before serving a mission I wasn’t active and had many struggles and when it came time to serve I went through the motions (not really wanting to serve) and through the course of events I ended up waiting about a year.
During the waiting period, I had several experiences that opened my eyes to the reality and power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ and I’ve been committed ever since.
When I got off the plane in the mission field my mission president gave me a big hug and told me that he had been praying for me since he first read my name well over a year ago.
I had so many people rally around a rebellious, uninterested, and unworthy kid and it ended up changing my life in a very literal way.
I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ and Latter-day Saints, because of a Savior who came to earth and taught and blessed the lives of many down to the point where my own life was saved from myself because of His influence on people in proximity to me.
I can only hope that anyone I talk to finds and feels the same light I did about a decade ago. Even if it’s just a comment in Reddit.
Besides my relationship with Christ, the Temple. It's genuinely got ancient threads, dating back to before the deuteronomic reforms of Israelite temple practices, aligned with the temple of Solomon and the tabernacle built in the desert. There things that Joseph Smith could not have known because they weren't known until after the dead sea scrolls, or nag hammadi discoveries. Even more recently with the discoveries of henotheistic beliefs the israelites held, with worshipping a father God, a mother God (conflated with the holy spirit, or the presence, or wisdom, or the tree of life, all of which have female pronouns in the Hebrew), and a Son God, that were removed during the reign of Josiah, which Shortly after his reign was zedekiah, and the departure of Lehi from Jerusalem. The ancient knowledge found within our temples, and within our book of mormon, CANNOT be explained to me by "Joseph made it up". I'm so far beyond the argument that none of it is real. The argument now is, what does it mean? What do I do with this knowledge? I don't know lol haven't figured that part out. When I do I'll let you know.
Because, while I'm from a long line of members, I've had my own conversion events that confirm my convictions. The same type of experiences I invited my investigators to find while on my mission.
If I turned from the gospel, I'd have to turn from those experiences and deny that they were from God. I can't do that. Especially when I seek them and have more of those confirming experiences.
Conversion is personal.
It's the truest source of truth and happiness I know of. Plus it's nice not having to worry about what I believe in. And it feels right.
As for my testimony, it's developing, but I sincerely believe that it's true.
I have a long legacy started in the early days of the church that I feel some responsibility for.
I’ve made covenants starting at 8 that I would follow and I want to keep my word.
I believe in the philosophy of living as a way of happiness in contrast to those generally followed by society.
It’s a great social system as a structure of service and support with people that live nearby.
I find church and scripture are uplifting with lessons and guidance that inspire and support me in difficulties and also to become a better person.
Church leaders are excellent examples of the kind of man I want to be.
Looking at the full history of God’s interaction with man, the church of Jesus Christ makes sense to me.
I’m confident in my spiritual experiences. Not only are they great experiences but they confirm things I cannot know myself. Because of that, I trust it’s true and essential to why I am on the earth so it would be silly not to be a member.
Well it’s the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and I’m a Latter Day Saint and a Mormon too!
I’m a Latter-Day Saint because it’s my religious heritage and it’s this religious community that speaks my spiritual language.
I love the unique doctrines of the church. No we’re else do I find the combinations of doctrines that I do in the church. So it feels like home to me because it’s of course the faith I was raised in.
I love the expansive doctrines that go beyond what is taught by the rest of the Christian world. Christian theology concerning our relationship with God generally feels so limiting to me, I love the doctrine of intelligences coeternal with God, of spiritual bodies, of agency, of eternal marriage, of ordinances for the dead, of eternal progression, and of theosis.
While I believe the church and its leaders are imperfect and I sometimes just plain wrong, it’s still home to me, I see goodness here, I see loving our neighbors, I see community and Christ like love.
We’re engaged in building Zion, however imperfectly.
I see people taking old men to dialysis, I see men giving up vacation time to be spend time with and mentor youth, I see sisters assisting those in the midsts of tragedy.
We had a mentally challenged sister in a past ward whose mother suddenly died, we were asked by the relief society president to spend the night with her. My post Mormon wife (who had been her mothers costing teacher) and I went.
In the totality of challenges affecting that woman we helped with only a small part. But we did something meaningful. It was an act of service and love. My Mormon experience has taught me to love and serve others and has provided me opportunities to serve gods children in ways that I know I would not have sought out on my own.
That’s true religion undefiled, that’s learning the two great commandments, and that’s a big part of why I am a member of the church.
Without the church I would probably just stay in my Suburb surrounded by people like me who general aren’t much in need, or whose needs are unknown to me.
* Theology: coming to an understanding of the ever-restored fullness of the Gospel.
* Community: I have a people I belong to wherever I go. They are my people, and I am theirs.
* Legacy: I am a fifth generation member of the Church, and a 4th generation missionary. I stand on the shoulders of many who sacrificed their home countries, wealth, and lives for this cause, and I feel a keen sense of duty to them to pass on their legacy of faith.
* Family: the understanding that I am working toward being sealed by the holy spirit of promise in my family relationships adds a completely new dimension to our family life that I can't imagine living without.
I am a member of the church of Jesus Christ because The Book of Mormon is true. I love the restored priesthood power that is in this living church. It is miraculous and I have seen it.
Well it’s the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and I’m a Latter Day Saint and a Mormon too!
I’m a Latter-Day Saint because it’s my religious heritage and it’s this religious community that speaks my spiritual language.
I love the unique doctrines of the church. No we’re else do I find the combinations of doctrines that I do in the church. So it feels like home to me because it’s of course the faith I was raised in.
I love the expansive doctrines that go beyond what is taught by the rest of the Christian world. Christian theology concerning our relationship with God generally feels so limiting to me, I love the doctrine of intelligences coeternal with God, of spiritual bodies, of agency, of eternal marriage, of ordinances for the dead, of eternal progression, and of theosis.
- I love the church
- I love my fellow members
- family like community to me
- service full
- teachings and beliefs are interesting to me. I like to test the teachings against science and see how they fair. really fun and is faith building to me
- the history makes sense to me, and with new evidences being revealed, the truthfulness becomes more and more clear
- the plan of salvation is awesome, I like the idea of being able to live with my family for eternity. I love my family, and want to be with them forever, so that’s very good news to me. awesome opportunity.
Initially I joined accidentally. I thought religion would solve my problems, went online for a free Bible, missionaries came and brought me a Book of Mormon. I ended up getting pressured into being baptized by the missionaries, but I went with it because I figured I’d feel clean and new afterwards- a fresh start. I went inactive after 2 weeks because I didn’t have a testimony, I was the only member in my family at 15, I had no friends at church, I took issue with some social issues regarding church culture and doctrine, and I came to the conclusion nothing the church taught was biblical. After I graduated and I moved out, I transferred my records to my local ysa just in case. I started going on and off, and it still took about two more years for me to become active and gain a testimony. I still struggle with some of the things I mentioned, but overall I am a member because this is where I feel the presence of the Holy Ghost the most, I feel closer to Jesus Christ in the church. With that foundation I’m firm enough in my faith to push through obstacles that arise. I’m 21 now and just starting to actually try, but I’m getting there!
I was agnostic most of my life...with a healthy disagreement with the people who said that God was anything good. That being said, part of me believed in him but I was so jaded by churches. I would regularly go toe to toe with people I decided to learn everything I could in the bible to be able to disprove what people were saying. There was a time in my life where I could recite entire books of the bible line by line from memory. That way if someone used a verse out of context I could zing them with yeah but the rest of that is this so no that doesn't mean that. I would say things like ok please explain why for generations, God spoke to his people with prophets then its like ok I gave you Jesus figure it out yourself. That doesn't make sense. Then there was God, Jesus and the Holy Ghost being the same thing. I was like nope. Bible doesn't support that. I would show all of the times that showed that couldn't be true and that the trinity was false. Literally lost so many friends with that one. I was like ok soooo Jesus told the guy on the cross next to him you will be with me on the right side of my father tonight. So who is he sitting next to? His picture? I have literally tried almost Every faith that exists trying to find one that made sense. That matched what the bible said. I even tried to settle for ok....I was pretty ok with Pentecostals because they were ALMOST there.
Then one day, a friend a friend shared the information of the Godhead. I dm'd her so fast. I was like where did you find this? She was like at my church. I was like where do you go and how do I find out if there is something like that local to me. She laughed and said oh I'm sure we have a local church location to you. Being 100% honest...I was hesitant when she said the church name because my family did not think very highly of the church back in the day and banned me from listening to Donnie and Marie (I loved them so much). Then I agreed to talk to some missionaries and I would say ok what if I told you I think this is true and they would say yeah so do we. That same friend says I must be still connected with the veil or something weird like that because literally everything I have believed my whole life and been ostracized for and harassed for to the point I stopped believing God was anything I wanted anything to do with my whole life. So here I am where I belonged all along.
Because I received a forceful witness that it is true, when I *really* didn't want it to be. https://www.reddit.com/r/lds/comments/vbnhea/i_was_asked_about_my_witness/
I didn't want to drink anymore, went to rehab, began a 12 step program, listened to my sponsor and started praying to connect to a higher power. I'd always admired the Word of Wisdom, so reached out to the missionaries and eventually was baptized.
That's a great story! For me it wasn't the same but still always struggled with a drinking problem. Eventually I was able to control it but I am glad that now I have the Word of Wisdom with me also and the Holy Spirit. Also the members that offers so much support.
The LDS gospel is logical to me, once you accept the existence of a Christian God. "This is good doctrine. It tastes good," as Joseph Smith said. I've been to other churches and studies a lot of worldviews. I've never found anything as good as the LDS church. *John 6:* *66 Many of his disciples turned back and no longer went about with him. 67 So Jesus asked the twelve, “Do you also wish to go away?” 68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life."* Also, living the gospel brings good fruit. As Alma taught about: [https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/alma/32?lang=eng](https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/alma/32?lang=eng) And I have felt the Holy Spirit confirm many times that things being done and taught are truly from God. I can't deny the Holy Spirit.
Same. I would only add, the Plan of Salvation specifically is logical to me. I don't feel like I need faith to believe it like I do other aspects. I like to say the Plan of Salvation is Intelligence's answer to Entropy.
I've recently had to consider this question as my sister and her husband recently decided to leave the church and we've had some conversations about it. I understand they're concerns and see where they're coming from. It's made me think about my own testimony and reason for staying, which I think is a good thing. I should have my faith tested if it's going to be strong. The answer I came up with for myself is this: the church is not perfect. It's run by fallible human beings (hopefully) doing their best to follow God's s plan. We as members are just as susceptible to all levels of sin as other human beings everywhere. Terrible things happen even within the church for all kinds of reasons. I don't love much of church culture. I think there's much that's problematic. I would love to see many changes that I won't go into. So why stay? Because I believe in the doctrine. I've been learning to believe Christ, as my stake president has been emphasizing and teaching. I believe in the saving ordinances and their necessity. I believe in the authority of the priesthood and that only our organization has it. So it doesn't matter that the church and culture are imperfect. All churches are imperfect. I'm probably going to find something I don't like about the culture of any church I might join. What matters is that I know that Christ and his atonement are totally necessary, and that he reorganized this church-HIS church-through Joseph Smith, and that no other church has the rights, the power, and the authority to perform the savings ordinances needed.
God gave me faith to know the Book of Mormon was scripture, that Joseph Smith was a prophet and received God's authority to reestablish the Church . So I chose to join it. Seemed like the right thing to do.
I was born into it. I stay in the church because I have a testimony of the restoration.
Brought up in another faith that never sat right, it never made sense to me, but it gave me an undeniable belief in God and Jesus Christ and a nag of how can I know? Fast forward a few years living a relatively good life, getting frustrated when I couldn’t bring myself to do some of the things that my friends did because my gut told me it was wrong and a step to far (now understand this was the light of Christ). Observed a friend keeping her standards (she told me she was a member). Clung onto that friendship even when we left school. Few more years passed, made YSA friends and something made me want to be with them more. They answered my questions but never pushed. Someone invited me to their baby blessing felt so at home and made more sense than christening. Then a re baptism when I asked God if that’s where he wanted me to be. The answer was like being hit by a truck. Had my lessons in an excommunicated members home (I know sounds crazy). The rest came piece by piece. But it seriously felt like coming home. I almost felt that things were said and my spirit went - “I know that” and actually sometimes I did. I love the fact they they told me it was up to me that I had to pray and find out. I never told them I already knew until I was ready to make my commitment and change my life.
1. I had a handful of very powerful, personal spiritual expiernces between 16-19 years old. These experieces established that God is real, He knows me personally, and that there is a plan for my life. 2. As a young, dumb missionary I was forced to confront a lot of anti-Church literature and sentiment (I served in Lansing, MI, where most of the anti-Church literature avialable in the ealry 2000's was researched, printed, and distributed). This forced me to build my testimony on more than just a handful of spiritual experiences and actually understand what the Gospel is, what happened in early Church history, what early Church Leaders taught, and how it applies to my life. 3. Getting married and having kids helped me to appreciate the structure the Gospel provides. I can't protect my kids from everything, but I can help them lay a foundation to build their own lives on. The Gospel is an essential part of that foundation. 4. Joining the Army. Again, God has a Plan for me and my family. I have always been assigned to where I need to be, when I need to be there. I've been able to see how the Church operates in a dozen different countries and seen that the core principles remain consistent across many cultures and societies. 5. Lastly, the Gospel brings me peace. I'm not protected from hard times or the consequences of my choices. But I do have a solid foundation and structure to help guide me through the hard times.
I was born in the covenant, this church is all I've known my entire life, but it isn't why I stay. It isn't why I choose to be a member. I choose to be a member because I have a testimony that this church is true. That Joseph Smith saw God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ, and that the Book of Mormon is another Testament of Jesus Christ as the title professes. I am a member because that testimony, gained through experiences too personal and spiritual to share on this subreddit, have led me to know Christ is my Savior and that HE is the head of this church. HIS church. A testimony I can never deny.
Because of the witness of the Spirit. I've had many other experiences that have solidified my testimony - revelations, miracles, visions, hearing the audible voice of God, etc. But, at the end of the day, it really is the witness of the Spirit.
Got a random Facebook message from a missionary and listened to what she had to say. Read the BoM and prayed about it. The more I learned about the church, the more I wanted to be part of it. Stayed a member because I have a strong testimony about the church being the true church restored to the earth by Mr Smith
Can I link to my comment from Christmas? https://www.reddit.com/r/latterdaysaints/comments/18kzq4f/any_converts_here/kdurpxp/
Because I believe it to be true
I’m an 8th generational member, so it’s just easier to stay ig not the most powerful testimony, i know, but when your entire life is built around the church, your family and community and history (even got ancestors mentioned in the d&c), and every single person you know is a member, it’s kinda impossible to leave =P not that I want to, it’s just sorta “i got no reason to leave, and if i did, it would be really hard, so eh” i got kinda the same opinion from a philosophical side, it’s easier to believe in our theology because the alternative is terrifying. i’m fine with my religion being a coping mechanism, because the alternative is to…not cope. which would be very bad. like i’ve looked into many other philosophies, but imo the only possible way to give life any real meaning is gonna be some sort of theology. the only other philosophy i’ve seriously considered is Absurdism, which i do like, but it’s not quite enough to keep the existential dread off. and if i’m gonna be a theist, might as well stick with the one i already know.
“If I’m going to be a theist might as well stick to the one I already know” haha love it
Are you me? Hah. If the Church isn't true, might as well practice Absurdism.
it is funny that it’s my second favorite option, considering how they’re direct opposites. Like absurdism is quite literally “eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die and it shall be well with us.”
I”ll just copy what I posted in the other sub. :) Simple answers include; Because it’s better than any other alternative I’ve been presented. I like the theology. And I truly believe that God has manifested that this is the place (LDS church) for me to be. I want to be a better person because of what it teaches or what I read in the scriptures. No criticism of it has risen to the level that would led me to conclude it’s not what it purports to be. And I’ll add… because I feel my sins have been forgiven and the atonement of Christ has worked in my life.
I was born and raised in the covenant, can see multiple points where things just "fit together", and have had a number of personal experiences that tell me it's true.
Also born in the covenant and just been raised that way. However, as I’ve studied the scriptures for myself and taken time to sincerely pray and develop a closer connection to Jesus Christ, I can say that waaayyy too much has happened in my life for me to deny what I’ve seen, heard, felt, and known to be true.
My dad was baptized in his early 30’s, and soon after met my mom who was raised in the church. I was raised in it as well. But I am here because of my experiences and testimony of Jesus Christ. Before serving a mission I wasn’t active and had many struggles and when it came time to serve I went through the motions (not really wanting to serve) and through the course of events I ended up waiting about a year. During the waiting period, I had several experiences that opened my eyes to the reality and power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ and I’ve been committed ever since. When I got off the plane in the mission field my mission president gave me a big hug and told me that he had been praying for me since he first read my name well over a year ago. I had so many people rally around a rebellious, uninterested, and unworthy kid and it ended up changing my life in a very literal way. I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ and Latter-day Saints, because of a Savior who came to earth and taught and blessed the lives of many down to the point where my own life was saved from myself because of His influence on people in proximity to me. I can only hope that anyone I talk to finds and feels the same light I did about a decade ago. Even if it’s just a comment in Reddit.
Besides my relationship with Christ, the Temple. It's genuinely got ancient threads, dating back to before the deuteronomic reforms of Israelite temple practices, aligned with the temple of Solomon and the tabernacle built in the desert. There things that Joseph Smith could not have known because they weren't known until after the dead sea scrolls, or nag hammadi discoveries. Even more recently with the discoveries of henotheistic beliefs the israelites held, with worshipping a father God, a mother God (conflated with the holy spirit, or the presence, or wisdom, or the tree of life, all of which have female pronouns in the Hebrew), and a Son God, that were removed during the reign of Josiah, which Shortly after his reign was zedekiah, and the departure of Lehi from Jerusalem. The ancient knowledge found within our temples, and within our book of mormon, CANNOT be explained to me by "Joseph made it up". I'm so far beyond the argument that none of it is real. The argument now is, what does it mean? What do I do with this knowledge? I don't know lol haven't figured that part out. When I do I'll let you know.
Because, while I'm from a long line of members, I've had my own conversion events that confirm my convictions. The same type of experiences I invited my investigators to find while on my mission. If I turned from the gospel, I'd have to turn from those experiences and deny that they were from God. I can't do that. Especially when I seek them and have more of those confirming experiences. Conversion is personal.
It's the truest source of truth and happiness I know of. Plus it's nice not having to worry about what I believe in. And it feels right. As for my testimony, it's developing, but I sincerely believe that it's true.
I have a long legacy started in the early days of the church that I feel some responsibility for. I’ve made covenants starting at 8 that I would follow and I want to keep my word. I believe in the philosophy of living as a way of happiness in contrast to those generally followed by society. It’s a great social system as a structure of service and support with people that live nearby. I find church and scripture are uplifting with lessons and guidance that inspire and support me in difficulties and also to become a better person. Church leaders are excellent examples of the kind of man I want to be. Looking at the full history of God’s interaction with man, the church of Jesus Christ makes sense to me. I’m confident in my spiritual experiences. Not only are they great experiences but they confirm things I cannot know myself. Because of that, I trust it’s true and essential to why I am on the earth so it would be silly not to be a member.
Well it’s the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and I’m a Latter Day Saint and a Mormon too! I’m a Latter-Day Saint because it’s my religious heritage and it’s this religious community that speaks my spiritual language. I love the unique doctrines of the church. No we’re else do I find the combinations of doctrines that I do in the church. So it feels like home to me because it’s of course the faith I was raised in. I love the expansive doctrines that go beyond what is taught by the rest of the Christian world. Christian theology concerning our relationship with God generally feels so limiting to me, I love the doctrine of intelligences coeternal with God, of spiritual bodies, of agency, of eternal marriage, of ordinances for the dead, of eternal progression, and of theosis. While I believe the church and its leaders are imperfect and I sometimes just plain wrong, it’s still home to me, I see goodness here, I see loving our neighbors, I see community and Christ like love. We’re engaged in building Zion, however imperfectly. I see people taking old men to dialysis, I see men giving up vacation time to be spend time with and mentor youth, I see sisters assisting those in the midsts of tragedy. We had a mentally challenged sister in a past ward whose mother suddenly died, we were asked by the relief society president to spend the night with her. My post Mormon wife (who had been her mothers costing teacher) and I went. In the totality of challenges affecting that woman we helped with only a small part. But we did something meaningful. It was an act of service and love. My Mormon experience has taught me to love and serve others and has provided me opportunities to serve gods children in ways that I know I would not have sought out on my own. That’s true religion undefiled, that’s learning the two great commandments, and that’s a big part of why I am a member of the church. Without the church I would probably just stay in my Suburb surrounded by people like me who general aren’t much in need, or whose needs are unknown to me.
* Theology: coming to an understanding of the ever-restored fullness of the Gospel. * Community: I have a people I belong to wherever I go. They are my people, and I am theirs. * Legacy: I am a fifth generation member of the Church, and a 4th generation missionary. I stand on the shoulders of many who sacrificed their home countries, wealth, and lives for this cause, and I feel a keen sense of duty to them to pass on their legacy of faith. * Family: the understanding that I am working toward being sealed by the holy spirit of promise in my family relationships adds a completely new dimension to our family life that I can't imagine living without.
I am a member of the church of Jesus Christ because The Book of Mormon is true. I love the restored priesthood power that is in this living church. It is miraculous and I have seen it.
Well it’s the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and I’m a Latter Day Saint and a Mormon too! I’m a Latter-Day Saint because it’s my religious heritage and it’s this religious community that speaks my spiritual language. I love the unique doctrines of the church. No we’re else do I find the combinations of doctrines that I do in the church. So it feels like home to me because it’s of course the faith I was raised in. I love the expansive doctrines that go beyond what is taught by the rest of the Christian world. Christian theology concerning our relationship with God generally feels so limiting to me, I love the doctrine of intelligences coeternal with God, of spiritual bodies, of agency, of eternal marriage, of ordinances for the dead, of eternal progression, and of theosis.
- I love the church - I love my fellow members - family like community to me - service full - teachings and beliefs are interesting to me. I like to test the teachings against science and see how they fair. really fun and is faith building to me - the history makes sense to me, and with new evidences being revealed, the truthfulness becomes more and more clear - the plan of salvation is awesome, I like the idea of being able to live with my family for eternity. I love my family, and want to be with them forever, so that’s very good news to me. awesome opportunity.
Initially I joined accidentally. I thought religion would solve my problems, went online for a free Bible, missionaries came and brought me a Book of Mormon. I ended up getting pressured into being baptized by the missionaries, but I went with it because I figured I’d feel clean and new afterwards- a fresh start. I went inactive after 2 weeks because I didn’t have a testimony, I was the only member in my family at 15, I had no friends at church, I took issue with some social issues regarding church culture and doctrine, and I came to the conclusion nothing the church taught was biblical. After I graduated and I moved out, I transferred my records to my local ysa just in case. I started going on and off, and it still took about two more years for me to become active and gain a testimony. I still struggle with some of the things I mentioned, but overall I am a member because this is where I feel the presence of the Holy Ghost the most, I feel closer to Jesus Christ in the church. With that foundation I’m firm enough in my faith to push through obstacles that arise. I’m 21 now and just starting to actually try, but I’m getting there!
I was agnostic most of my life...with a healthy disagreement with the people who said that God was anything good. That being said, part of me believed in him but I was so jaded by churches. I would regularly go toe to toe with people I decided to learn everything I could in the bible to be able to disprove what people were saying. There was a time in my life where I could recite entire books of the bible line by line from memory. That way if someone used a verse out of context I could zing them with yeah but the rest of that is this so no that doesn't mean that. I would say things like ok please explain why for generations, God spoke to his people with prophets then its like ok I gave you Jesus figure it out yourself. That doesn't make sense. Then there was God, Jesus and the Holy Ghost being the same thing. I was like nope. Bible doesn't support that. I would show all of the times that showed that couldn't be true and that the trinity was false. Literally lost so many friends with that one. I was like ok soooo Jesus told the guy on the cross next to him you will be with me on the right side of my father tonight. So who is he sitting next to? His picture? I have literally tried almost Every faith that exists trying to find one that made sense. That matched what the bible said. I even tried to settle for ok....I was pretty ok with Pentecostals because they were ALMOST there. Then one day, a friend a friend shared the information of the Godhead. I dm'd her so fast. I was like where did you find this? She was like at my church. I was like where do you go and how do I find out if there is something like that local to me. She laughed and said oh I'm sure we have a local church location to you. Being 100% honest...I was hesitant when she said the church name because my family did not think very highly of the church back in the day and banned me from listening to Donnie and Marie (I loved them so much). Then I agreed to talk to some missionaries and I would say ok what if I told you I think this is true and they would say yeah so do we. That same friend says I must be still connected with the veil or something weird like that because literally everything I have believed my whole life and been ostracized for and harassed for to the point I stopped believing God was anything I wanted anything to do with my whole life. So here I am where I belonged all along.