DesertRat

Thank you, Fether! I agree. It hasn't been easy, but I feel better already. The amount of money that I have been saving on both coffee and alcohol has been pretty nice too! I have already cut that down to a quarter of what I was spending before! 😳 I'll be getting touch with the missionaries soon. Either in person or via chat. Thanks for your support!

Marriage for him is definitely out of the question. I have brought that up on a few occasions over the last 8 years. Fortunately, neither of us want children, so there at least wouldn't be the issue of what religion to raise them in. Like I said to unixknight, it's most likely going to have to be a wait and see scenario. I trust that things will work out as they need to. I just need to be patient. 😊

Well said, Zil! I am definitely not being hard on myself about any of this. After all, this all came out just a few months ago! I trust that things will happen as they need to and when they need to. I'll look into chatting with missionaries. I plan to attend another sacrament meeting here next week, so if not in person, then definitely online! Thanks! 😁

Oh, probably not well!! 😆 And to be completely honest, neither would I. If our relationship was relatively new, that would be one thing. 8 years, however, not so much. I think it will need to be a wait and see what happens kind of thing.

Thanks, Maureen! 😊

Howdy! Just a brief back story of how I ended up here: I was raised christian and attended church regularly growing up. During middle school and high school, I went to a pentecostal youth group with friends. I drifted away from religion when I got to college and continued on that path up until just recently (about 15 years later). Fast forward to today. I have lived here in Utah for several years. I was in Salt Lake recently and decided to go across the street to tour temple square. My only intention was to learn about the temple a bit and walk around. I ended up leaving with a Book of Mormon and spent at least a few hours looking around the history museum! I have since been reading the BoM daily, cross referencing to the Bible, and taking notes. I attended my first sacrament meeting at a local meeting house just earlier this month too! I have been really surprised at how much of an interest I have taken in the church and the BoM. I have considered looking at baptism down the road, but I definitely have some things in my personal life that need to be sorted out first. Which brings me to my questions... My boyfriend and I have been together for over 8 years. We live in separate houses. He is an atheist and does not believe in marriage. I am fine with both of those beliefs, but I know this could present a problem for baptism with the law of chastity. Anyone have any advice or similar situations as this one?? And the next one...Coffee & alcohol. 😆 Not being raised Mormon, those items were always a part of growing up and family functions. Not so easy to quit cold turkey on either. I have been making an honest effort to scale back and have been successful thus far. Do they take into consideration a person who is trying and making progress or do you have to be completely clean of those substances before baptism?? Thanks!

Howdy! I am going to piggy back on this post (hope that's ok) since Madeleine had a lot of the same questions as I did. Just a brief back story of how I ended up here: I was raised Lutheran and attended church regularly growing up. During middle school and high school, I went to a pentecostal youth group with friends (quite different than the Lutheran church 🤣). I drifted away from religion when I got to college and continued on that path up until just recently (about 15 years later). Fast forward to today. I have lived here in Utah for about 5 years. I was in Salt Lake back in June for a convention and decided to escape the crowds and go across the street to tour temple square. My only intention was to learn about the temple a bit and walk around and enjoy being away from the crowds at the convention center. I ended up leaving with a Book of Mormon and spent at least a few hours looking around the history museum! I have since been reading the BoM daily, cross referencing to the Bible, and taking notes. I attended my first sacrament meeting at a local meeting house just earlier this month too! I have been really surprised at how much of an interest I have taken in the church and the BoM. I have considered looking at baptism down the road, but I definitely have some things in my personal life that need to be sorted out first. Which brings me to my questions... My boyfriend and I have been together for 8 years. We live in separate houses. He is an atheist and does not believe in marriage. I am fine with both of those beliefs, but I know this could present a problem for baptism with the law of chastity. Anyone have any advice or similar situations as this one?? And the next one...Coffee & alcohol. 😆 Not being raised Mormon, those items were always a part of growing up and family functions. Not so easy to quit cold turkey on either. I have been making an honest effort to scale back and have been successful thus far. Do they take into consideration a person who is trying and making progress or do you have to be completely clean of those substances before baptism?? Thanks!