I found this website while googling whether speculating in financial instruments (forex, options, futures, etc) is considered gambling from a Latter-Day Saint's point of view. After reading a couple of threads, I was struck by how civil the LDS online forums are, compared to all the other ones out there. It made me realize how much I miss interacting with Mormons, so I signed up for an account, found this Introductions forum, and here I am.
I was baptized about a decade ago, having actively participated in church meetings and (mostly YSA) activities and speaking with missionaries for about a year before that. I wasn't able to get baptized earlier due to parental objection, as I needed their written consent then. I was raised to the Melchezidek priesthood not long after, and was an active churchgoer for a couple of years.
The stresses of life got to me, and I gradually stopped doing the little things to nourish my faith. Then, due to transgressions unbecoming of a priesthood holder, I was dis-fellowshipped, and then excommunicated. I tried to right my ways, attending church every week and meeting with the bishop regularly. But when it became apparent that re-entry into the church was going to take a lot more work, I gave up, and have been inactive for the past couple of years.
I had since married my wife, a girl whom I brought into the church while I was dis-fellowshipped. Sadly, we became inactive together, except for the occasional social visit at sacrament meeting (about once a year). Last year, we moved from Singapore to the US in New Jersey, renting a house in the suburbs, and this year we had a beautiful little baby boy. We're both working full-time, while I'm also taking a part-time graduate program in financial engineering. I'm presently in the middle of a six-week break from work to look after my baby boy, hence the time to think about the future. I'm hoping to write a software to automatically trade in financial markets on my behalf. I remember how President Hinchkley spoke about the perils of gambling, mentioning poker and lotteries but never touched on the stock market. I suppose with financial markets it depends on the spirit of one's actions (investing versus speculating without adding value), but am hoping for specifics as to whether my automated program will add value, and hence whether my career path will take me even further away from the church. Which led to my Google search, and my post here.
I don't really have a testimony to share. I probably still believe that the Book of Mormon is true, but haven't really thought about it for a while. I hope to go back to church, for my family's sake, but don't want to be in a situation where we appear for a couple of weeks and then just fade away, especially on account of the fact that I'm an excommunicated member. I want to prepare myself and be ready first. I hope I can be.
