[Question on Re-baptism?]

Tubaloth,

My story is long and complex. If you are interested in my story of religious experiences throughout my life, I would be more than happy to e-mail it to you. However, it probably wouldn't be appropriate to post on a public forum. I can simplify it by saying that I was raised in a home where there were lots of different religions, philosophies, and spiritual ideas thrown at me from a very early age. That combined with a father who, at the time, was very anti-Mormon and who I wanted to please plus a lot of emotional trauma in my home my senior year of high school is what lead to my resignation from the LDS Church.

As far as my desire to return. I must say that I posted on this forum to seek your prayers. I can't say I am fully ready to take the steps of re-joining the Church at this time. However, over the years I have kept "tabs" on the Church by watching General Conference from time to time. This year I watched the entire conference, and was particularly moved by President Monson's talks.

I will pray and seek our Father in Heaven for guidance. If it is His will for me to return and He confirms this through the Holy Ghost, I will return.

Jonathon, I'm a convert that studied many denominations and spent hours in meetings with ministers of churches discussing the restored gospel. The Holy Spirit testified to me of the truth and I asked to be baptized a Latter-Day Saint. I know what it's like to have many philosophies and religious beliefs contending for what is true in your heart, but when the Holy Spirit testified of the truth, it no longer mattered who I had spoken with or what I had read. The power of the Lord to change men's hearts is greater than all the philosophies of men put together. Reading and analyzing is good, but what we need to give us faith and testimony is a personal touch from the Divine. Every person is promised that if they will exercise the smallest amount of faith, sincerely ask for the forgiveness of their sins, and live the teachings of Christ, we will receive that touch. What you've recognized is the Spirit of the Lord calling you back. I believe with all my heart that's what the Lord wants. If I can be of any help to you in that regard, don't hesitate to message me.

[The Great Apostasy]

Oh, okay. But I still don't understand how this could have happened. In the bible, Jesus says "Upon this rock I shall build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." Jesus built HIS church on a firm foundation, and promised that the "gates of hell" will not prevail against it. If His church dissapeared even for a short time, the gates of hell would have prevailed against it, thus making Jesus a liar.

Also... I don't think a mere seventy years after the Lord had risen to heaven, something He had made would fall apart so easily. Not when He meant it to last through the ages.

If you will read Matthew 16:15-19, you will notice that the Lord is explaining that Peter is the foremost apostle and leader of the church and that it was revealed to him that Jesus was the Christ by divine revelation from God. And that it was upon that rock, of revelation and priesthood keys of authority, that the Lord would establish and lead His church. As long as the church accepted the inspired leadership of the apostles and lived according to the Lord's teachings, the church would remain pure and undefiled and "the gates of hell" would not prevail against it. But, this wasn't what happened. Many of the plain teachings and ordinances of the gospel were changed or abandoned. Some of the apostles were murdered. Because of the wickedness of the people, the Lord took the authority to act in His name from the earth for a time and the foretold apostacy occured because the people rejected His true gospel. The glorious news is that the Lord didn't leave it that way. He restored His gospel to the earth and established His church again with apostles and prophets and revelation to guide it.

[my patriarchal blessing is rehearsed]

It seems that you are under the impression that every word in your patriarchal blessing must be divinely inspired and direct revelation from the Lord. That isn't always the case and it doesn't need to be. The patriarch has the authority to pronounce blessings upon you that are his own words. The words the patriarch pronounces upon your head the Lord will honor, if you fulfill them through your faithfulness. Therefore, it is up to you to live up to them and receive your blessing.

[Question about the baptism of Jesus]

Has anyone read or heard any explanation as to why Jesus was baptized as an adult and not in his younger childhood? I would be interested in any explanations or references from general authorities or reasons you feel it was this way.

[Why so solemn during meetings?]

We believe in reverent meetings because, as President Boyd K. Packer has said, "Reverence invites revelation." As for people chatting and not paying attention, that is unfortunate and, if it disrups others from listening to what is being taught, or otherwise interupts the purpose of the meeting, someone should speak to the bishop about it and, if he feels it necessary, he will counsel the ward from the pulpit about it.