Alright, so I go to the Gospel Doctrine class and ask questions, but who would be the one teaching? What I mean is, would he/she be a qualified teacher? How would I know to trust this person? Also, you tell me to ask questions, but I have LOTS of questions—are they going to have the patience to explain what I need to know? I guess where I’m going with this is that I would love to hear someone provide solid, credible information in a patient manner without judging me. I mean, I want to know that I can trust the information given to me. thanks, blazius Blazius, The teachers are all members of the ward who are "called" into the position by the leadership. Some teachers are better than others. All use church material to teach the class, so what information they give is what the church teaches. That being said, some beliefs are confusing to people who are inquiring, new converts, and even "old" members. My experience has been that honest questions are welcomed. I would encourage you to meet with the missionaries. They will teach you the basic beliefs of the church, support you in your spiritual journey, and answer a lot of questions. You can have the talks and still not get baptized, if you aren't sure that's the right decision for you. I had the talks 4 different times, over a time period of 5 years. I was not treated with any disrespect by the Elders and nor was I ever pressured to be baptized or do anything I didn't want to do. They will invite you to "try it on"- go to church, fast, pray, read the Book of Mormon, etc. You don't have to feel pressured to do something you don't want; it's an invitation, not a command. If you don't feel ready to try something, don't. THe missionaries won't judge you and will keep meeting with you if you want. My experiences with LDS members have been mostly positive. People aren't perfect and there is always a chance you run into a member who is being critical or judging. That is not the way of the Church- that is a member being a less than perfect human. For the most part, I haven't ever felt judged in the Church. It's the only church I ever felt truly welcomed in and truly at home.
