SeekerofTruth

:) Aw Pam, and how much greater in the next! :) I can't wait to meet everyone and just see how God's story unfolded in each life. Looking back on my own through the joys and the pains, the questions of why that never got answered to see how beautifully it was put into His plan. That's one thing I look forward to looking back on at the end of my life, seeing God's footprints present. :) <3

I am here to follow God's will, obedient to His call, and ultimately bringing glory to His Name. I believe we were created to glorify God. I believe this life is not the life of pleasure but of work, and God's children should be working to see His kingdom come and His Will be done, no matter the cost. :)

maybe as a 2 year duty. I have friends who have up and moved their whole family to another country to serve as full time missionaries. I have tons of missionary kids as friends. (that's a common nickname in christian circles: MK (missionary kid) ) another woman I know, single, and felt called to go down to south america and serve God among the natives picking up the language and everything. she's been there for probably over 10 years still single and glad to serve God. not to mention the stories of many who gave their lives during their mission. Jim Eliot is famous for that, his wife Elisabeth is an amazing woman with a great story. The men Jim went to mission to murdered him and his team, and then Elisabeth later on went to those same people and lived among them and shared the Gospel with them. actually as someone coming from the outside and looking in I was surprised when I found that LDS only serves for 2 years and that's it, and then maybe later on after having a family. Correct me if I'm wrong though, I thought LDS has missionary families as well. :-) (sorry if I'm hijacking this thread, I'll gladly take this to another post)

Yeah, I don't share my excitement for religious things with those who don't share the same faith as me, why? because they don't understand it. I'd say just ignore them and love them as Jesus already does. I'm not LDS but I grew up going on church events and we weren't allowed to bring ipods or cell phones when we went on missions trips either. I remember one of my friends went on a month long retreat and they had their cell phones but then they went up in the mountains and they had absolutely no reception or means of contact, and my friend was like "at first it was frustrating, but then it was awesome because nothing was there to distract me from prayer and listening to God and spending time with Him and His creation" I have issues with how people are okay with bringing electronic devices and stuff to really any event. It's rude and you don't get the whole experience because you're too selfish to let go of things you won't be able to take with you when you die anyway. Sometimes I just turn off my cell phone for a whole day lol especially if I go on a Sabbatical. lol So yeah, don't let people like that get you down. It's because they don't understand, and put yourself in their shoes. Sympathize with their ignorance of your beliefs and love them despite what they say. Congrats for your son! I'll keep him in my prayers! :-)

Well I googled the question I don't know how reliable this source is, but hey why not? The Exodus and Ancient Egyptian Records Fascinating question thanks for bringing it up :-)

Thanks for posting a thread like this volgadon! :-) One of my favorite passages that really convicted me was John 5:38-40 "And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not. Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life. I receive not honour from men." I remember when I read that I was like "how many times do I just study and read my Bible and refuse to go to Jesus" I read it to attain knowledge, superiority, thinking that the Scriptures will always give me something but my heart and mind are not listening or hardened by my pride of sin. It is a very refreshing and convicting verse for a Pharisee such as myself. lol There is a great difference between knowing God's words and hiding God's words in our hearts. one of my daily struggles. :-)

Uhm actually doubting is not unforgivable in christian site. i don't know what your experiences have been but I am one to tell you that as a follower of Christ and believer in God doubt is my greatest struggles but one that I am glad to have because it challenges me. Any christian that tells me doubting is horrible and I need to not do that is not someone I go to for advice. Pardon my intrusion, I know I'm not LDS but honestly this is an issue that I see among non-LDS individuals as well within the Christian churches. It breaks my heart. So many of you I'm reading are responding with "rules are rules" honestly, I don't know if Jesus would even necessarily agree to that response. Why? Luke 6:1-11 something as trivial as shaving I don't know, maybe it is my misunderstanding of the LDS Church, but it is not something that should keep someone from serving. I honestly believe this guy has a right to be hurt about stuff. I've been burned by the church many times so I sympathize with you. However I continue to serve where I believe God has called me to serve. Sometimes it hasn't always been in the church and I have found God has been able to work better through my life on account of that. However, I also agree with everyone that I think he is just venting as well and is not ready to hear advice. We should probably just back off and pray for him. And MormonMusic is right as well in saying where your motives lay. God looks at the heart of a man not his actions. Though sometimes I just wish the churches I have dealt with would be willing to see that too. No one is exempt from God's judgement, especially the church. bleh. Again, pardon my intrusion. I hope things look up for your Phoenix and your heart changes from serving the church to serving God and not being effected by how the church treats you on account of that. Keep running for God's Will and His Gospel.

Hi Phoenix :-) Honestly, you probably shouldn't debate doctrine you do not believe strongly in. I don't with my own faith or knowledge on anything. I constantly ask people to recheck me because I am so unsure. (I really don't like that about me, I realize I'm always going to be a student, always having a desire to learn haha) The real question is for you though, (and a question I asked myself when I became so discouraged in debating) why do you have such a desire to debate these subjects? Is your desire in order to prove someone wrong? If it's that, then is that truly like Christ? Christ's whole response to telling anyone anything was to do the Will of His Father in heaven no? Jesus wanted to free people, not talk them down. Many times you find him completely frustrated and annoyed with the Pharisees not because of their questions, but because of their hearts. Is there a sin involved in your heart that is keeping you from finding peace? I would say pray and ask God to expose whatever that sin is. Our war isn't against flesh and blood. Eph 6:12 states that. or do you sense you know the truth and no one else is getting it? if so, maybe this mood you are feeling is in some way God trying to keep you humble. As He did for Paul in 2 Corinthians 12. Where Paul talks about boasting about some man who had these great visions and revelations and then struggling with his own heart in having his own revelations and visions, and finally God sent him a messenger of Satan in order to keep Paul's head in what matters, boasting in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. God gives us visions, God may very well take them away. God gives us the ability to debate, God could easily just take that ability away. I remember my spirit was dealing with this depression one time, basically like there was this rain cloud over me all day. I remember praying, "God, keep it there, it keeps me humble." Sometimes...actually no, we always need a dosage of humility from God. To remind us of who we are before Him and that all gifts come from Him and not from us. Let us not allow our own selfish ambition, and self-focused opinions get in the way of what God is trying to do through us. How dare I ever think I could do anything apart of God. I am such a fool. lol God bless you Phoenix! I hope you find some rest, truth, and humility in our heavenly Father this week.

Oh I understand how the Bible came to be. Especially with the Old Testament and New Testament combined gives more power to it's message. The fact that this book was written by more than one person, over a long span of time, from people of different statuses and backgrounds, and yet it all gives the same message, pretty cool stuff. Could you post me which thread you talked about this on? Thank you :-) Okay, here's another area I am confused with in the LDS belief. Do LDS only believe in the authority of the King James Version of the Bible? Later translations make it clear to the reader as to which words and stories were added in later by the Catholic Church. Many seek to translate from the original Greek text of these documents as well which they do. You would discredit the monks who were known to preserve documents and were known to be faithful and holy followers of God? If God has given us the ability to think and to know how to decipher certain texts, as did the monks/scribes, how is that not inspired by God? Because the person doesn't "claim" they were inspired? Monks spent their whole lives for the work of God, I'm not saying their holier than others, but that shows their commitment towards the Truth and their love of God. Therefore could God not use them as well to translate what was proper? Also, could the Holy Spirit not have guided the Catholic Church early on as to what to put in the Bible and what not? (I mean, the Catholic Church at this time was not the same as it becomes later on in history) Also, are we to discredit God and how He desires His Word to be put together? I mean when you read stories in the Bible, those commended for their faith and righteousness before God in the Old Testament committed some pretty bad sins. Yet God still chose to use them and to make His Name known among them. Here I am confused now, because how is this not the same as an LDS view on the Bible? The writers didn't make changes to the Bible, later on the claim is that the changes were made. Like the Book of Mormon? I've read some LDS history and how the Book of Mormon was put together and some "changes" maybe made to make it better understood, but when I read that I am confused as to how that is any different than what non-LDS claim when it comes to the Bible. Thanks for your patience in handling my questions. I am not that well learned in church history as I would like, but hopefully that will change over time. ;-) anyone (whether LDS or non-LDS) may correct me, actually please correct me if I have a false understanding of history.

Hi Pam, I meant that statement not towards all mormons but to the the mormons that have told me as such. The statement was worded pretty wrong, because I was stating it like I was talking to those I have met who have not read it. It was by no means meant towards you or any LDS on here. Hence why I asked, and why I made that statement because I wanted you to know where I was coming from. I said I "LDS that I have met, come off" as such, but that doesn't mean I believe all are like that. I do apologize for the offense out of my own ignorance though, that was certainly not my intention. I hope you forgive me. Thank you everyone for your answers, they are a great help to me. :-) I totally understand what you mean Faded!!! I'm so glad you brought that up. I know when I do meet with missionaries (and also ANY non-LDS christian) I make it my point that they make sure to read the Bible if they are going to tell me it is important. I view with so much virtue someone who knows what they are talking about. Therefore, I love to accept correction in my thinking. (like what Pam said to me, thank you for that!) So yea, I have my own issues among my own sects, I'm also much harder on them. With most of them I want to hit him them over the head with a Bible hoping some of the words may sink in. I haven't tried it yet though.... lol Anyway, thank you everyone for your graciousness in answering my question. I will definitely meditate on what has been said. :-) God bless! *Seeker

Hi there! I'm new to that board so I hope you bear with me especially since I'm not an LDS. I have met with a few missionaries this past year and when I ask them where they hold the Bible in comparison with the Book of Mormon they came across that both are correct and both are the Word of God. My question for you is, is this true? Is this a universal LDS belief, or are there personal beliefs to the difference? Because a number of times other LDS have come off to me that the Book of Mormon is upheld higher than the Bible and the LDS that I know who say they believe in both and both are equal have never even read the Bible. I am confused in how you can believe in something you have never even read or took the time to understand. Maybe these missionaries are trying to pull my leg because they know I read the Bible. I don't know. lol I was just curious to know your opinions since there are more of you here than I could probably ever meet in person. :-) Thanks!

Hi! :-) Honestly when it comes to the belief of eternal families, it doesn't seem to go along with what Jesus states in Matthew (22:23-33), Mark and Luke. "In the resurrection therefore, when they shall rise, whose wife shall she be of them? for the seven had her to wife. And Jesus answering said unto them, Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the scriptures, neither the power of God? For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven." Mark 12:23-25 "Therefore in the resurrection whose wife of them is she? for seven had her to wife. And Jesus answering said unto them, The children of this world marry, and are given in marriage: But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage: Neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection Luke 20:33-36

Honestly I test it. Prayer is awesome and important but God also gave me a brain to question and to think deeply about. If He is True and His Word is True, then nothing can dismember it, not even our own critical analysis. Read the story of 1 King 13 in the Old Testament and Deuteronomy 18:21-22. How do I know any prophet is a prophet of God is a better question and it is when the prophet speaks more of God and less of himself. John the Baptist said, "He must increase, I must decrease" any prophet that puts himself or his cause over who God is and God's character should not be listened to. I remember an LDS friend of mind commented on how she liked reading the Gospels in the New Testament because the writers of the Gospels spoke less of themselves and more of Jesus. Not once did they ever refer to themselves as they do in the Book of Mormon. It is rather refreshing reading the Gospels in the New Testament after reading the Book of Mormon. You really sense the heart of the New Testament writers. Always pointing to Jesus. :-)