just_girl

I think Dravin did an amazing job of answering all your concerns... And the Mormons Made Simple videos are wonderful! My first Sunday, I was totally confused about sacrament. I knew that it was okay, but I was still a bit uncomfortable. I ended up taking half of it - I took the bread, but passed on the water... and I felt like a complete DORK!! :) The remaining time I attended church prior to being baptized, I refrained, just because I knew that taking the sacrament was renewing of covenants I had yet to make and I wanted to wait until I had actually made those covenants... (granted, I think that was only two Sundays, though, since I was baptized quite soon after making contact with the Church...).... I think the most amazing thing I have learned in my short time of being a part of this family of believers is how amazingly accepting everyone is... and how understanding! Be confident in what you are feeling drawn to - listen to it - and while it is easy to get caught up in the details (you should see my thread where I lamented about what to wear to my baptism!! DETAILS!!), trust and know that your Heavenly Father is very aware of the steps you are taking and is right there with you on this journey. If you ever want to talk to someone that has just gone through this process, let me know... I don't post much on here because I feel like oftentimes other people are so much more inspired than I am, but I am more than willing to answer any questions you may have or just listen... :)

Rame - sorry I didn't respond sooner... YES - it was completely amazing! Even now, weeks later, I'm still in awe of the experience. So just thought I would give everyone a bit of an update... Things have been interesting, to say the least. I can't go into all the details, but I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that the choice I made to join this church was the correct one. Yesterday I was invited to speak to the district meeting for the missionaries in our district and to share my conversion story. It was such a wonderful experience... I can't begin to describe everything that has happened. Heavenly Father continues to find ways to remind me that He loves me and that this is all in His plan. Even more, my son has started asking some questions and will be talking with the missionaries for the first time tomorrow... My heart leaps with joy at the thought of the things to come! Don't forget about us, please, as we need your prayers, greatly... This journey is not an easy one, for sure! :)

Okay, so when I first started coming around the LDS church (like, you know, a month ago) I was talking to the husband of our RS president and after hearing some of what I was struggling with, he suggested I read the book American Moses. I fully intend to order it as soon as I'm able, but I was curious as to if anyone had read it and what they thought... He suggested this book after I described how I felt that Brigham Young was really portrayed as a villian to me growing up and that, while I cannot deny what I feel the Spirit leading me to and drawing me to, I need to educate myself about the other side of the story, so to speak. It wasn't enough of a problem that it caused me to not get baptized, but I still feel like I need to deal with it in some way. So... anyone have anything to share??

Corvus: What an exciting time for you! I will certainly be praying for you during these next two weeks... enjoy the Book of Mormon! While I'm a convert to the LDS church (just baptized a week ago yesterday after having walked into Sacrament by myself three weeks before that), I grew up with the Book of Mormon with the church I was raised in, so it wasn't a new thing for me... Good luck on this journey!

There is so much I could say here... and I'm going to try and do so in some sort of organized fashion... :) I was adopted... and I have an older brother that was my parents' biological child and a younger brother that is also adopted. Never, at any point, did we not know that we were adopted... The older child/ren were always involved with the process and were old enough to remember so it wasn't hidden... Plus, my dad's good friend growing up didn't know he was adopted until his 30's when his sister told him during an argument and there was no way my dad wanted us going through that... My brother and I were adopted through the social service agency of the RLDS (Community of Christ) Church... both of our situations were different (his was a teenage mother and mine was a woman going through a divorce with one child already who didn't think she could handle two children) and the way we have dealt with the adoption has been completely different. Me? It was who I was - I talked about it ALL the time... My brother? He never mentioned it.... Funny story- we were at my older brother's for Easter... We were relating a story about someone talking about how all of us are teachers and it must be in the genes and stuff and how funny it is that people always ASSUME we are genetically related... Then my brother told us about a time when his friends were talking about how different we all look (my brothers are both tall and lean and me, well, I'm short and fat ) and my brother said it was because we weren't really related... His friend laughed and said "LAST NAME, you ALWAYS tell that joke...."... and my brother said, "That would be great, but it isn't a joke... my sister and brother were ADOPTED, goon!".... Anyway... I can talk about adoption all day... and I'm VERY open about it, so if you want to pm me, that's fine... I've met my biological mother (THANK GOODNESS she gave me up - that woman has ISSUES!) and while I was ultra close to my adoptive father, my adoptive mother and I struggle at a relationship all the time... One more thing... for all of you considering maybe adopting... My dad gave me a great gift. I was doing a research paper one time on adoption and he related a story about being at the church's campgrounds the summer after they got me (I would have been just shy of 1... probably in June before my birthday in August)... I was playing in front of the Tabernacle and a woman approached him and asked if that was his adopted daughter... My dad told me he responded, without ever taking his eyes off of me, and said, "No, that is my DAUGHTER.".... That is how it was with him... My mom? Well, I'll say until the day I die that she prefers my older brother to the other two of us... She will say she doesn't, but, well, I can't change how I feel and perceive everything she does... Like I said, I'm a pretty open book... I've been through the time of wanting a major relationship with my biological mother only to step back and realize that what I always thought it would be was NOT what it would be... My biological sister is the same way... I always wanted a sister, but would rather spend the rest of time in peace than deal with the drama that follows her wherever she goes... I'll be praying for you as you adjust to this 'new normal' and wrap your head around it all and decide the next steps. Oh, and adoptee is a VERY commonly used term around the adoption world.. :) Sorry!!!

Thanks again, everyone. I'm starting to understand the set up, I think, but it will still take getting used to. I dont have home teachers or visiting teachers assigned yet, since everything is so new, and at 31 and a single mother I don't quite think I qualify for YW. :) Is it bad that I'm feeling kind of a sense of mourning since I wont be at church this coming Sunday? It was bad enough to miss for Easter, but missing this coming Sunday, the first Sunday back in the actual church building, is making me quite upset. Sighs. I never expected to feel this way at all!

Thanks tuba... Our ward actually has Sister missionaries AND Elder missionaries - we have four... the ward is a smaller ward, but the area of it is quite large, I guess, so there are two sets. The sister missionaries asked me today about meeting this week, but the day they will be in my town I'm working and then heading out of town after school and I wont have time. Oh well. I'm sure that something will happen eventually - I just wasn't exactly sure as to what it was supposed to be! :)

Gotcha... thanks! I just wasn't sure what I should expect... This helps... :)

Okay, so I was wondering... Now that I've made the decision to be baptized, have been baptized, got a limited Temple recommend and been to the Temple for my first time, and accepted a calling, I'm curious... At one point, the sister missionaries told me there were lessons to be done even after conversion, but they haven't mentioned them to me yet. Quite frankly, my 'favorite' sister missionary recently went home because it was the end of her mission and I dont feel near as close with the two that are here now and I know that the one sister missionary that has been here already (not the new one) finds me annoying... approaching them is much more difficult than it was when the other sister was still here... knowing she doesn't care for me makes it even worse and I feel like any time I ask anything I'm just bothering them... even though they insist I'm not. Our personalities are just MAJORLY different, I realize that, but... anyway.... So am I supposed to say something to them about the other lessons? Or just go about my way and not worry about it? I guess I'm wondering if I'm missing something here....

Well, I just returned from the temple. It was an absolutely wonderful experience. I feel so blessed and so honored that I was allowed to do the work that I did today and know that, in time, I will grow even more in an understanding of what it means... I can't quite get my head around it, though I'm trying. What a joy... And it left me with even more of a feeling of wanting to work towards even more.... Just thought I'd let you know I was able to go in... the only glitch was that I remembered my camera was still in my bag from my baptism the other night and I had to check it at the desk. I'm glad I realized it, though...

Lisa: Welcome! I'm fairly new around these parts (to lds.net AND to the LDS church) but I can completely understand what you felt when you were at the baptism the other night. When I first walked into an LDS chapel almost 4 weeks ago, I knew this was for me. Enjoy yourself around here!! :) I can't really speak for anyone else (since I dont really KNOW anyone else here) but I am certainly glad you found this place and hope you find it helpful!!! :)

Judo: Thanks! I have been blessed with a wonderful Bishop and a very understanding RS president that I know will help if I get to the point where I'm overwhelmed. (Not only does my Bishop know my family, but he was a convert, as well...)... It is all very fast but I think part of that is because for YEARS I have known that this could be a possibility. Having been raised in the Community of Christ, there were quite a few 'normal' hurdles that I didn't have (such as gaining a testimony of the Book of Mormon or of Joseph Smith, Jr. as a Prophet), though I did have to reconcile how I always saw Brigham Young as quite a horrible character and figure out where I stood on Priesthood authority. Thanks for the support, though! Wingnut: I wondered if that would be a problem, but from what I understand it wont be. I have a recommend in hand, though there isn't a number included on it, and have been told that it wont be a problem. Hopefully that is the case, otherwise I'll just spend a long day walking around the Temple grounds, I suppose. Not only did our current Bishop think it was okay, but one of the former Bishops also said that it was possible for me to go without a number. I guess I'll know tomorrow! :) Anatess: Thanks so much for those links!! You thought of me while shopping for shoes? I'm so honored!!! :) I found an adorable pair of flat ballet style shoes today when i popped into the local shoe store actually in search of a bag to haul my stuff tomorrow... I have a very strange foot to fit (i think that is probably why I long for flip flops all the time) and these felt great... I just wish they had more styles in my size!! Thanks for the info on what a RS secretary does, as well. I'll be spending time with the RS president while at the Temple tomorrow (she has said she is staying with me rather than going to do endowments) and while I doubt we will be doing much talking about RS 'stuff', it will be nice to spend some time with her and get to know her better. She was actually the first person to introduce herself to me when I went to church the first time and her husband gave me my first blessing.... She had asked if I could meet with her after church on Sunday, which I agreed to, but then I reminded her that Sunday is Mother's Day and she thought she had better check again to make sure it would be okay... I know we will be meeting sometime soon, though. Mightynancy: To say I am happy is putting things lightly... I'm more than happy, for sure! I love learning more things and am finding I'm especially blessed by the talks that have been given at GC. I found a wonderful LDS Scripture app for my iPhone and it is so great to be able to pull up something to read when I'm waiting for my son somewhere or just have a few moments to read and focus on what is being said... I love how to the point they are, not forever long and winded, and that they are so focused on one topic and not many. Having grown up around the Book of Mormon, diving back into after years of not reading it has been like coming home... it soothes me and feeds me and strengthens me in different ways all the time. Yes, I am certainly happy!! Jenn: Things are going pretty well. I can't say they are perfect (I still haven't found the right way or time to tell my mother and son about everything that is happening, though they know I am attending church and whatnot) but they are still so much better than they were a week ago... and soooooo much better than they were a month ago. :) ======================================== I am so overwhelmed (in a good way) at the thought of what I will be experiencing tomorrow. While I dont live near the local LDS Temple (it is about an hour and a half away) I can remember seeing it as it was built years ago. I have friends that went through it before the dedication, though I did not. I know the Community of Christ Temple is completely different, but I saved my quarters to help build that building and can only imagine how much more powerful tomorrow will be than when I'm in the CofC Temple (which is one of my most favorite places on Earth, actually...).... I dont think I ever thought I would come to a point in my life when I would actually be allowed to enter an LDS Temple. I still sit back and am in awe that all of this is happening. I feel so unworthy, so humbled, and yet so excited. I couldn't sleep last night and I know it was because I was trying to wrap my head around everything that is happening... I know I will 'just' be doing baptisms for the dead, that there is so much more that the Temple has to offer and that, in time (hopefully), I will be able to experience that... but I want to soak in everything tomorrow.... I suppose that is enough for now! Thanks again for all of your support... I really do appreciate it!! OH - I was thinking of posting a photo of me with the sister missionary that recently left to go home because her mission was over... but I dont know if photos are allowed (well, ones aside from the amazing shoe photo posted earlier... )... LOL.... Let me know!!

Not sure this is the right place, but I also dont want to start a new thread if I shouldnt... However... Last Sunday (two days before my baptism) in Relief Society they announced that this coming Saturday would be the Stake RS day at the temple. I was sitting next to one of our sister missionaries, who nudged me and said "You could go to that, ya know." HUH? Not wanting to disrupt things during RS, I just let it go, but she kept on saying it after we finished. I didn't understand. She explained and I just put it out of my mind. Tuesday came, I got baptized in the most amazing, yet crazy, service... I was confirmed 'font side' because it was done on a Tuesday and our bishop didn't want me to have to wait until Sunday. Wednesday I drove our sister missionaries to transfers. Sometime on the way, the RS president called my phone and left me a message, telling me that I was more than welcome to attend the Temple with them on Saturday, I just needed to have an interview with Bishop that night. I finally decided to go ahead and do the interview, just in case, as I wasn't sure what my schedule was for Saturday. When I went in for the interview, I thought it would be just an interview. We finished that and he told me there was something else he wanted to talk to me about. I figured I had already done something wrong... boy was I surprised when he told me he felt like I had a calling to be the RS secretary. This was less than 24 hours after my baptism, mind you, and, well, to say I was shocked is putting it lightly. I told him I trusted him and if he felt like that was what I was supposed to do, then I'd do it. (After I quizzed him on what, exactly, a RS secretary was and did... this concept is completely foreign to me!!)... Anyway, I have no idea what to think about all of this. I just know that I have told God that I'm willing to take whatever steps He desires of me and I can't not trust that this is all right. Crazy, right?

Just noticed something... I've graduated from Junior Member to Member on the same day I became a MEMBER of the church... How interesting is THAT?? :) LOL

I'm home - I survived - and I will write more later... Wow. Absolutely amazing... :)

Wingnut - thank you so much for posting where that came from - you certainly saved me a ton of time in trying to find it for myself! When time allows, I will most certainly be reading the entire thing and praying about it... I know that some people find flip flops overly casual and I understand that - and they can be distracting at times, as well, but there are times when flip flops are, well, the shoe for me. I dont want to be rebellious or too casual, but... something to chew on, for sure. Another thing I find so interesting is the aspect of Sunday best... I grew up Community of Christ and it was always understood that we dressed differently for church than we did on a normal day, out of respect for what we were consecrating that day to... I can remember when I started wearing makeup that I sometimes would want to go without it on Sunday mornings in order to make my 'getting ready time' shorter and my mother would march me back to my room to apply it, or else I would have to go the entire week without it... If it was important enough to go through the process of applying makeup on a weekday, it was most certainly important enough to do so for church. Granted, the CofC is much more casual these days and I doubt my mother would respond to me in the same manner, but the concept of 'Sunday best' is not a new one for me to handle.... EEK... Time is getting close... there are a few things on the agenda before I leave (including figuring out where the ward is that we are holding the baptism - since it isn't the ward I have been to... as well as my son's soccer game...).... but I know that the time is right... While yesterday was full of turmoil and question, last night I realized none of that matters. Things have happened in the past 24 hours to confirm to me that what I am doing is right and I can stand firmly on those experiences and walk forward knowing that everything will work out. I cannot begin to describe what I am feeling... but I am ready... and thank you for all the support...

Wow, I didn't realize that it had been requested that people not wear flip flops to church - and since I live in them, I'm really surprised no one had mentioned that to me before... Guess it is time to do some major shoe shopping! I decided to go with the suit... Thanks for all the support and suggestions. I found an ok pair of white shoes that will pass, I guess. I'm not completely sold on them but I think it will be okay... I know this is majorly off topic but yesterday I emailed a former music professor of mine that I always knew was Mormon and let him know what was happening. I actually did my applied piano with his wife and would be at their home for lessons... He emailed me back and then she also emailed me last night and what she said brought tears to my eyes and simply confirms that what I am experiencing now has been in the works for YEARS... and it is no wonder that this is all moving so quickly. There's more to it, but I'm in a rush to get back to work... Just know that I appreciate all the advice and support... and tonight at 7pm CST I'll be making this amazing commitment and I can hardly contain my excitement....

Nothing is going to keep me from this new journey - I'm not that finicky... I'm giving up family and the most amazing relationship I've ever had with a man to walk this direction - I'm giving up a secure financial future and losing everything I had dreamed of... I do not make this decision lightly and I will not be deterred that easily. And no matter what anyone says, I WILL remember what I wore to my baptism... not having grown up in the LDS church I'm not sure what to expect (wow, think I said that before) but I still remember BOTH of my outfits from my baptism on my 8th birthday in the RLDS church... (they don't wear jumpsuits so I had a yellow dress to be baptized in and then a pink one for my confirmation....) Perhaps I wouldn't be worried about it if I thought people wouldn't notice - but I know they will, especially after yesterday at church when a lady commented on how I always have the cutest outfits, especially one that I had worn and she just loved (and note that I've only been to this church for three sacrament meetings and a fireside - that makes three outfits since the fireside was on a Sunday night and I didn't do a wardrobe change...).... One last thing... I think I was pretty specific in my initial post that I was looking for WOMANLY advice, not that I totally discount advice from men, but I figured this was sort of an issue that other females may understand... Had I wanted advice from anyone, I would have simply posted this question in the Advice area. *shrugs* Guess I'm still figuring all this out... Lessons I've learned: * Stop taking things so personally.... everything is not an attack, even though it often feels that way * Asking for womanly advice doesn't mean that men won't weigh in as well * If I really want important advice, perhaps approaching people I KNOW rather than strangers online is a better way to go.... I'm trying - this is all so new to me and I hope you will be patient... I'm trying, I really am...

Judo: Thank you so much for what you've said... I really do! You made so many amazing points and I will certainly take your advice to heart. I probably did take things too personally but I know that I try to be careful about what I say and then take other things to heart that I should just let go... I really would like to share my testimony at some point on here, I just don't know what is ok to share... I will eventually though if I end up sticking around....

Okay - I realize that focusing on what I'm wearing is incorrect and trust me, that is not the case... so forgive me for looking for a bit of advice on this matter... I appreciate all the wonderful advice I've gotten and will most likely be going with the white suit - if I can find some suitable shoes, that is... I didn't expect to feel judgement in this area of the board, especially.... wow.... I'm a bit taken aback and not sure how to respond... To know that my asking a simple question, for some WOMANLY advice, would call into question the spirit in which I'm proceeding in, well, I'm just shocked. I think from now on I'll do my best to live without coming around here - obviously there is something about me that asks for judgement and critisism and apparently this is not a place where I'm supposed to fellowship. I don't get it, especially when I see so many people with wonderful relationships on here. I'm not a horrible person, really, I'm not... If you knew my story, if you knew my TESTIMONY, perhaps you wouldn't respond to me in this manner, but perhaps you still would. Either way, thank goodness my experience at the local ward has been quite the opposite of what I have experienced here... And please, know that I value all the advice that came my way immensely... having never attended an LDS baptism, I'm not quite sure what to expect... but I guess focusing on that fact would make me that much less spiritual as well, right?

Thanks for the advice... It is cute... I'd forgotten how cute, really, until I pulled it out the other day to show them. It has bows on the front where the pockets would be (though no pockets ) and then has a ruffle hem on the skirt... and it isn't just plain suit material, but has some very subtle pattern to it... Sighs... I wont look like I'm trying to relive my childhood by dressing in all white???

Okay, so I know I should probably put this in some other section, and I have a thread already going about the generalities of what is happening, but I need some womanly advice. I've talked to the sister missionaries in our ward and, while I appreciate their opinions greatly, I'm still not quite sure what to do... (and when I ask this, please don't think I'm shallow... I just.... well... want to be sure I'm making the right choice...) I'm getting baptized on Tuesday... This Tuesday, May 3. During the course of conversation with the sister missionaries, I told them that I had a cute white suit that I had never worn. I purchased it a few years back and never felt right wearing it. They jumped on the idea, telling me I should most certainly wear that on Tuesday night. They tried to give me encouragement by saying they had dressed in white on their baptism days, but it is different - they were 8. I'm 31... I dont know what to do. I have a ton of adorable clothes that I could wear and NOT feel completely conspicuous in... but then I have this suit, with the tags on, that I've had in the back of my closet just waiting for a time to make its debut. Let us further complicate this dilemma... I'm in no way a shoe hoarder - in fact - I hate shoes. HATE THEM!!! I'm not sure I own ANYTHING that would look appropriate with this suit... I haven't worn dress shoes except for job interviews over the past few years and have almost literally lived in flip flops... and a suit? With flip flops? Not sure that works... HELP!!! I know - it is trivial, perhaps, but I'm only planning to do this once and I don't want to look back on this night and A) feel like I looked like a child because I wore an all white suit or B) wish I had worn the white suit because, really, when else will it be appropriate??? Sighs... Thanks in advance... I'm really stressing about this (and believe me, this should be the least of my worries at the moment!!!).

ztodd - I suppose I am probably reading into things by saying that people dont care - I felt fairly attacked in the first thread I started (and probably needed to feel that way) but it didn't give me a good feeling about this board... not enough to keep me away completely, obviously, but I certainly didn't feel overly welcomed. Thankfully my experience at the local ward has been WAY different (in a wonderful way) and while I'm not naive' enough to think that the people that make up a church should be perfect, I do think it is important to feel as though you are a part of things... shrugs.... just me, I guess.... I had my interview tonight and 'passed'... I'm officially taking the next step on Tuesday... !

Thanks... I really do appreciate it.... I had a ton more typed out but it all seems too personal... especially since I dont feel like most people care on here... LOL Just know that I will proudly and humbly be joining your ranks come Tuesday... baptism and confirmation and all....

Just in case anyone was wondering... soooooooooooooo much has happened... I wish I felt free to share all of it but, frankly, since I'm not really connecting with anyone on here, I'm not sure it would be of any use. So, I'll just suffice it to say that as of this coming Tuesday - May 2 - I'll be baptized... Not that anyone on here cares... but just to tidy up the story... and after thinking I had to walk away from the relationship, he has come around and - HOPEFULLY - will even be here on Tuesday. Either way, Tuesday it is.