themonkeymama Posted January 4, 2009 Report Share Posted January 4, 2009 Hi! I am new to LDS.net. Our family is discerning conversion to the LDS faith - I'm pretty sure we are almost "there". :) I am mom to 6 kids that I homeschool [dd 10yo, ds 7yo, dd 5yo, dd 3yo, dd 2yo, and dd 4 months old]. The prospect of converting is kind of scary - my husband and I felt God pulling us to the LDS faith starting a few months ago, and we have had a strong desire to learn more - and have learned more. Everything we learn only convinces us more that this truly is THE Church of Christ and that it is the Restored Church. So, we are happy about that part - very happy. But I, at least, am scared too because we have been very devout in our current religion [Roman Catholic], very active in our Church, and all of our friends, social connections, and homeschool support are devout Catholics. Converting is likely going to mean losing every single friend we have. I have tentatively approached the subject with certain friends and have been stunned by the strong objections and outright hostility I have encountered... We won't say No to God, ever, so my husband and I will follow where the Holy Spirit leads [which we both feel is the LDS faith], but yeah... both exciting and scary all at the same time! I'm curious if any others here converted at the cost of pretty much losing everyone you know and love? How did it work out? Any advice on how to cope with such a big change? Also, have any of you converted with children who were old enough to understand? This is very hard on our 10yo, who has been a devout Catholic right along with us and who will lose her friends too. Any suggestions for coping with that and helping her? Thank you! Kelly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gigi Posted January 4, 2009 Report Share Posted January 4, 2009 Dearest Kelly, My prayers are with you as you make this life-changing decision. I'm happy to see that you are willing to follow the Lord, even though that path will bring some persecution and loneliness. As you go through baptism you become a member of a ward....a new type of family. You will get out of your new ward family what you put into it, just like you did in the Catholic Church. Although your Catholic friends will give you a hard time, hopefully in time they will accept you and respect your decision. I'm not sure how many LDS people live where you live, but there are many that home school as well. My greatest concern would be the 10 year old. How much has she been involved in the missionary lessons? I would pray with her for guidance in feeling the Spirit. Read the Book of Mormon with her and all your family (there are even helps for young children). Explain how you feel about the teachings you are learning and how much joy that brings you. Take all the good and truth you've learned and experienced in Catholicism and add to it. Talk about the temple and the possibility of being with your family forever. Don't make her get baptized if she doesn't believe. She needs to believe it and want it. I joined (by myself) when I was 9. I knew it was true. She's certainly not too young to feel the assurance of the Spirit. Friends come and go, families are forever. If her friends would shun her if she joins the church then they are not truly her friends. Have you visited your ward? Please go both to church and activities and help her get to know the young people in the ward. Make sure she understands that she will still love her Catholic friends and have open hearts to them. She can't determine what anyone else does, but if she's doing what she feels Heavenly Father wants her to do she will never be alone. Be patient. Hold Family Home Evening. Study the scriptures and fast and pray. I know your family would bless the Lord's kingdom and that He has great blessings in store for you! Going through challenges and difficulties builds our character and our trust in God, if we let the Spirit work through us. My prayers are with you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john doe Posted January 4, 2009 Report Share Posted January 4, 2009 Welcome, I hope you like it here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Palerider Posted January 4, 2009 Report Share Posted January 4, 2009 Hello and welcome to the site....:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ceeboo Posted January 4, 2009 Report Share Posted January 4, 2009 Converting is likely going to mean losing every single friend we have. I have tentatively approached the subject with certain friends and have been stunned by the strong objections and outright hostility I have encountered... I'm curious if any others here converted at the cost of pretty much losing everyone you know and love? How did it work out? Any advice on how to cope with such a big change? KellyHi Kelly,Blessings on your current journey and welcome to the site :)Peace,Ceeboo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MormonMema Posted January 4, 2009 Report Share Posted January 4, 2009 I can only tell you it won't be easy, but it is so worth it! Once you feel the Spirit telling you the Truth, once you have the Truth in your heart, you will never be truly satisfied until you follow through with what your heart is telling you. That can cause a rift with friends or family, at least temporarily. Out of six children, I have only one daughter who is a devout and devoted Latter-day Saint. I have another daughter who is Baptist, and four sons who don't believe in any religion. That does cause hurt feelings, even hostility sometimes. My wonderful, loving and compassionate daughter and I did have some painful discussions and arguments, but we finally came to a compromise, realizing there were some things we couldn't agree on. We decided to focus on the goodness and beauty of the religions each of us chose. From her, I learned the simple joy of praise and worship, and simple, childlike prayers. Her church is very contemporary and very casual. In return, I've taught her the value of family prayer and scripture study. Together, we try to give her son a good Christian foundation. One thing that bothers me a little is that she has been very clear with me that she doesn't want me to talk to her son about the Church, especially about Joseph Smith or latter-day prophets, or some of the other things we believe. I can understand why she does this, because he is only 9 years old and she doesn't want him to be confused. Still, I wish I could, especially when he asks if he can go to church with me. I think that day will come, someday. He will, I'm sure, have questions as he gets older, because when he comes to visit me, he can see pictures of the temples on my walls,a picture of a latter-day prophet (Gordon B. Hinckley) a picture of Jesus, and a copy of the Book of Mormon on my table. He hears good music, including instrumentals of our hymns, and sometimes he sees scenes from the Book of Mormon on my computer desk top. The main thing he sees is that I am Christian. That is the main thing I've been able to get across to my daughter, too, by my example. That is our main message, that we are Christians, members of Christ's True and Restored Church, his disciples in word and in deed. We do differ in theology from other Christian churches, simply because his Church has been restored to the earth, just as it existed, as he set it up, in ancient times. We welcome you, and hope you will follow your heart and join us. The journey is an interesting and exciting one, and the blessings are abundant and eternal. I wouldn't trade it for anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
themonkeymama Posted January 5, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 5, 2009 Thanks for the welcome everyone! Gigi, we don't have a huge Mormon population around here [in GA], and our Ward is small. BUT, every Mormon we've met has been amazingly kind and friendly, so we'll take quality over quantity any day. LOL! I haven't told my "IRL" Catholic friends about this yet [we are just making our final decision at this point - I am ready to convert and feel 100% convicted and my husband says he feels 99% convicted, so we are almost there.... :) ]. But, I was part of an online Catholic group for many years and I've gotten so flamed there that I had to leave the list... so, I'm *hoping* my IRL friends will do better than that, but I'm prepared for the worst. It surprised me just how hostile & nasty people got about it though. We would never force our 10yo to convert - even if it was possible to force a real conversion! I agree with you that she is the one I'm most worried about. I think she will be OK as long as her two best friends don't shun her, but I'm worried about it. Only time will tell. DH and I have been witnessing to her and just sharing what we love about the LDS faith and she seems very inclined to agree with us but scared of change. We have invited her to talk with the Missionaries when they are here but so far she has declined. We told her that if she does decide to remain Catholic that we will drive her to Mass each week [we live really close to our Catholic Church so it would not be hard to do]. MormonMema, that must be so hard not to be able to share your faith with your grandson. :( I hope that he is allowed to go to Church with you at some point and can learn about your faith. That bond is so special. Thank you for your advice! Kelly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Palerider Posted January 6, 2009 Report Share Posted January 6, 2009 hello and welcome to the site....:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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