Introductions

[Jason]

Cool, I know that church.

And it's conveniently located next to the new SLC library!

How does/did polygamy fit into your bio?

I was keeping the bio short. Course, the wife never let me take on another "sister wife".

[Lindy]

I loved reading the posts, it's been awhile since testimonies/bio's have been posted....and I came to a dead end looking for the thread of testimonies..to avoid retyping everything..so I assume that it was part of the "wipe the board clean" terrorism act awhile back.

Hi, my name is Lindy....nickname my grandmother gave me when I was a baby.... I'm one of the older posters here.....old enough to know better....(still to young to care) type of person, (or you could say still stubborn enough to care)

I was young and stupid, got married at 17.... Married an inactive Catholic, who was active military, was married for 15 years, divorced, raised 4 children basically by myself during the marriage anyway so it wasn't that much of a difference when the marriage ended. Converted to LDS shortly before marriage took it's last nose dive, and have been LDS ever since.

Religious background: I was raised with some church background as a child....my father took me to the Methodist church, and when I was older I was allowed to search and experience any church I wished. I attended numerous churches as a teen, stayed in the First Church of the Nazarene for the longest. (have a soft spot for time spent there) but, I questioned a lot of things in the Bible as a teen, and was greatly disappointed in the answers I received from those "educated" clergy I would ask. I grew up with an agnostic and atheist in my family, and had lots of religious discussions with the agnostic...which kept me closer to my faith in God as anything ever could. As a mother, I was still looking for the answers I had sought as a teen, and I took my children to a church here and there to keep some type of religion in their blood.

It wasn't until I very skeptically let my husband (ex) bring his friend home from work and talk to me about his religion, and again very skeptically allow those missionaries to come over and talk to me about this LDS thing. Then the poor guys, had to cancel their dinner plans, their appointments for that night, etc. cause I wouldn't let them go. All the questions I had as a teen were being answered by these two guys in suits! Answers that all the clergymen couldn't answer....were there at my asking. Mark LeFevre, Douglas Brackett....names I will never ever forget....the missionaries who brought the joy of redemption back into my life. I have had the worlds worst luck with home teachers when I moved from my "home" ward, and I found this board to help me find some kind of spirituality I needed from the priesthood I never have in my home, and it is still the only kind of priesthood/ visiting teaching I have in my life (90 percent of the time) There have been some very helpful posters who have helped me out when spiritual times were down, and I do appreciate them. I love reading the posts from everyone....LDS or not...... so many insights, so much diversity....I really do love it. I have been on this board for almost 2 years (I guess) although it seems like 5.

I've had (still have) friends of diverse religions, and love people for who they are not what they believe in. and basically accept anyone regardless (I do have my limits though....I still have issues on some things)

I made some very good friends (in real life) from this board, and hope to make more.

To those who posted above me....

TS~ I'm glad that you are true to yourself for what you feel is right..... I'm proud of you.

Pushka~ I know how hard it is....and for what it's worth......I love your posts! You have wisdom I admire....keep them coming :)

Jenda~I feel I have known you for years...you are great....and I love your insights.

PD~ Nothing but RESPECT from the getgo for you

Jason~ ExMo or not you are great....and you have my respect and best wishes on the happiness you find.

[Snow]

Originally posted by ExMormon-Jason@Apr 12 2005, 06:33 PM

Cool, I know that church.

And it's conveniently located next to the new SLC library!

Can't beat that.

My local library is awesome, set in a park, overlooking a lake; lots of glass to bring the outside in, lots of trees and water inside, great used books for sale all the time - good hardbacks for a buck or less - but it pales compared to the SLC library in size, depth and architecture.

[pushka]

Lindy, Thank you for your kind comments regarding my posts...I love reading yours too! :)

[Guest Taoist_Saint]

Thanks to everyone for the interesting introductions...keep them coming...

[Guest Taoist_Saint]

Duck???

[Guest TheProudDuck]

Lest Tao's feelings be hurt because everyone's ignoring what could be a very interesting thread:

I, Duck, having been born of goodly parents ...

Wait, that's been taken. (All the good opening lines have been. Like "Call me Ishmael" or "In the beginning ...")

The most recent of my ancestors to convert to the Church was a German-Polish girl who came to Salt Lake around the turn of the 19th to the 20th century. Pretty much everyone else in my family tree had been camped out in Utah since the 1850s. The only really big Church name in my genealogy is George Q. Cannon, my 3rd-great grandfather. I have a portrait of him in the Utah state penitentiary, where he was serving his sentence for polygamy. He's holding a bouquet of flowers and has a puckish, bemused look on his face. (Note: The ancestral-name-dropping isn't meant to mean "look how special I am," but rather just to throw a little light on my roots and how I got to where I am. By the way, ancestry.com shows me descended from the Norse god Odin. Look how special I am!)

My mother's family were Salt Lake and Kaysville businessmen and bankers and University of Utah football players; my father's family were mostly scientists and artists from Provo and Midway and were associated with BYU. (My great-grandfather taught art at BYU and has a lecture hall in the HFAC named after him). The family traditions were definitely continued in my parents' temperaments. My father is quietly humble and thoughtful; my mother is practically minded, hardworking and -- how do I put this? -- a bit of a bull in a china shop.

Everybody in my (large) extended family is an active member of the Church, and everyone grew up without getting into any really serious trouble, aside from a few problems that we've survived. The Church, or at least our particular family brand of it, can't help but have been a part of our flourishing.

My family was always active, although I don't remember that we ever had pictures of the temple or Prophet or explicitly Mormon art on the walls. There were always Church books on the shelf, along with hundreds of other books. My mother was heavily involved with the Primary as I grew up, and my father served as elders' quorum president and in several bishoprics. I actually still live in the ward I grew up in, along with a lot of the "fixture" families.

I was always pretty conscientious about church, taking things pretty seriously. I think the first time I ever felt a little out of place in church was when one of my peers stood up and got tearful while bearing his testimony. I thought the basic teachings of the Church -- the story of Jesus and good conduct -- made enough sense, but I never really got emotional about them. At the same time, I was plenty sensitive in other spheres; I'd get a lump in my throat (really) watching an American Revolution movie at the Hollywood Hills Forest Lawn, not to mention while listening to Rachmaninoff, which my mother would always play, and watching baseball movies. (I still can't quite figure that last bit out.)

I never did become a tears-in-testimony meeting type. The closest I ever got was listening to the BYU combined choirs' performance of "Come, Thou Fount Of Every Blessing," where the camera zooms in during the last verse on the choir, many of whose singers had tears in their eyes. Maybe it was the power of suggestion, maybe it was emotional manipulation by the video producers or maybe something more and genuine; either way, I was still very moved by that moment and still am.

Fast forward to a youth conference where all the stake youth rode in buses up to BYU. We had a testimony meeting on the grounds of the old Ludlow Fish Farm off Carterville Road in Provo, which has, I think, been replaced by somebody's River Bottoms mansion. Person after person got up and gave a deeply meaningful, emotional testimony. I remember actively trying to feel what the others were apparently feeling, and then to actually force myself to feel it. Nothing came, but I got up and bore a similar testimony anyway. Still, nothing. I did the same thing at successive youth conferences. I hadn't encountered Elder Packer's "Candle of the Lord" talk, with its advice that a testimony is found in bearing it, but my experience didn't really bear it out.

This was during the time President Benson was placing great emphasis on the Book of Mormon and gaining a testimony of it via the Moroni 10 formula -- read it, ponder it, and ask for a witness of its truth by the power of the Holy Ghost. I had read parts of the Book of Mormon before high school, but didn't get all the way through cover to cover until seminary (the early-morning kind). I think maybe I took the Moroni 10 advice a little too literally, approaching the Book of Mormon with the objective of getting a spiritual confirmation of the whole thing after reading the last page, instead of appreciating individual parts of it as much as I could have.

In the meantime, I was finding myself kind of halfway between Mormon and wordly worlds, with most of my friends being non-LDS. (There were precisely two Mormon kids other than myself in my high school class.) Looking back at high school, I think I was way too concerned with status, and with being counted as one of the double-c cool crowd. I was conscious of definitely being in the "second tier" of cooldom. I played on the water polo team and worked on the beach as a lifeguard, which was a plus in the status department, but I was definitely a little too bookish and not rich enough (my high school was in Newport Beach, so "rich enough" means your dad is a developer who built 2,500 homes last year) to be high-school royalty. I suspect I may have blamed the Church for my not fitting in as well as I thought I wanted to. At the same time, I was conscious of being very bored at boozy parties (the only thing "The OC" gets pretty much right). What I was aspiring to, wasn't my thing; often, I wonder if it is anybody's thing -- if anyone really enjoys it.

Anyway, towards the end of high school, I was definitely conscious that I didn't have a "testimony" in the classic sense. I read the Book of Mormon again my senior year, and I thought it seemed a little melodramatic. I applied to various schools and wound up going to BYU mainly because I got a good financial aid package, and also because I think I felt it would be a little closer to my comfort level than some of the UC schools.

To be continued (if anyone wants).

[Guest Taoist_Saint]

Great story...very descriptive.

I learned alot about you...thanks PD.

By the way, I didn't know you hadn't found a testimony (yet?). So do you basically take the view that its as true as any other Church, and its good for families, and its part of your culture...so you will defend it if necessary, though not necessarily believe it all?

Or am I misunderstanding the story?

Oh, and feel free to continue...I would like to read more.

[Amillia]

I'm interested PD.

[Guest TheProudDuck]

Originally posted by Taoist_Saint@Apr 20 2005, 05:51 PM

Great story...very descriptive.

I learned alot about you...thanks PD. 

By the way, I didn't know you hadn't found a testimony (yet?).  So do you basically take the view that its as true as any other Church, and its good for families, and its part of your culture...so you will defend it if necessary, though not necessarily believe it all?

Or am I misunderstanding the story?

Oh, and feel free to continue...I would like to read more.

You're not misunderstanding the story; you just need to wait for the next chapter. Which will probably have to wait until tomorrow; I'm going home to clean up after two projectile-vomiting kids. My wife called and apparently my daughter's head just spun around two or three times ...

[Guest Taoist_Saint]

Ok, I'm looking forward to hearing it.

:)

[Guest Taoist_Saint]

Anyone else?

[Dale]

Hi,

I actually attend a small Community of Christ Church. Of course the Community of Christ is Reorganized LDS under a modernized name.

Tao I actuall read a lot of anti-Mormon books & nothing you say could be that bad. You can say I have become the opposite of what I read seeks people to become. I am pro-restoration not anti-restoration. Thank you Jesus.

Sincerely,

Robert

[Fiannan]

Hi everyone. I am new here. Hope this is an interesting site. I am fairly conservative (although somewhat unconventional by Mormon "people" criteria), married, 7 children and working outside of the USA.

[Guest momma5]

Hi. I'm a SAHM to 6 children, ages 1-15 yrs old. Plus a 17 yr old nephew that stays with us 5-6 days a week. Just moved to Arkansas. Lived in Texas before that for 20 years exactly. I've been LDS my whole live. Always been active. Moved to a very small ward, which I thought would need me immediately for a calling, but almost 3 months later, nothing. I'm kinda feeling that I'm not wanted. I do have a VT route though to 4 inactive sisters. Been married 16 yrs. Met DH while on his mission. Married in Dallas Temple in 1989.

~momma6 (I guess I was just a momma to 5 when I first signed into this...don't remember signing up, but I got an email tonight for this site.)

[Laureltree]

Hi ! I'm LaurelTree.....................

Wow ! it's been so long I cant remember l lolhmmm or is it old age?

[Guest TanyaMac]

Hi! I am Tanya. Just got home from the New Hampshire Manchester Mission. I am a convert to the church which people find weird because I was raised in Utah. Oh well. Im the only active member in my family and I have found much love and support from the members of the church. They helped me go on a mission and I am excited to help someone one day!! It was a great experience and highly recomended in my book!! I dont really know what else to write. If you have a question please ask!! Then I will know what to write!!!

[Guest Mahal101]

Let's see where do I start? Well, I was baptized in the church when I was 8. Less then a year later my family went inactive. I tried going by myself, but I didn't understand any of what they were talking about so I quite going.

Has I got older I studied other faiths thinking that there's one for me that fits me. As I studied I always stayed clear of the LDS church. As I was saying I studied them all and the one I want to join as a Satanic cult. I was interested in it because of the fact that you were you and that's that. All christian denominations were holier then thou, if you didn't believe as they did you were looked down on.

So my family moved to Idaho where I met a beautiful young lady that seem to shine with a type of life that I wanted (or at least her faith). We started dating and I asked her what church she belonged to and she said I'm a mormon, well I knew what that meant (I'm in trouble). So we started talking and one day she invited me to church, I said fine. For the first time in my life I felt at peace with myself (of course the feeling that the roof was going to fall in took a couple of weeks.). Next thing I know is that I'm taking the missionary discussions and going to my own ward. That was 13 yrs ago and today I'm looking forward to being ordained an Elder. And getting sealed to my gf. I'm very active in the church, in fact I should thank all you ANTI-MORMONS it's because of the things you preach against this wonderful church that my testimony is as strong as a house built upon a rock. THANK YOU

[Lindy]

"in fact I should thank all you ANTI-MORMONS it's because of the things you preach against this wonderful church that my testimony is as strong as a house built upon a rock. THANK YOU " Great post Mahal101... Thank YOU!

Welcome to all you newcomers! Mahal101- TanyaMac -Fiannan-momma5 or rather 6

[Guest true2u]

I investigated the Church for seven years during which I convinced myself many times that it was true. Honesty in my search is one thing I can claim. I really wanted it to be true.

My background is RC and I am a born-again Christian. Why I still wanted to know if the Church is true, I cannot tell. This 7 year period was even my second attempt to get an answer. I have prayed, fasted, read prayerfully, attended meetings...

I have a question to you, members, investigators, antis: Does anybody else share my feeling that the Church has strayed partly from the BoM? I could live with whatever I understand of it (except the seemingly endless battles that make me dizzy) if it weren't for the fear of ceremonies and other aspects that seem to have been added to mormon doctrine from whatever source.

[dizzysmiles]

I have a quick question for you people, if your ex mormon why do you come to mormon siteS? not that im not glad you do, also Jason if you thought you found the right church before your mission then why did you search agian and if you thought it was true before what makes this catholic church true? Also for those of you saying that yopu believe in some of the bible not all of it? can't be. you ethir believe it all or you dont.

[dizzysmiles]

well im new to this site and hopefully wont be addicted to it. I am a 22 year old stay at home mom with 2 children ages 2 and nine months. i ve been married for four years to my college sweetheart and I love everyminute of it. I grew up in utah and still live here and love it and the mountians. This church is the best thing in life and I don't know what I would do without it. Lots of people think that our commandments and standards are too constrictied kinda like an hour glass, but little do they know that once you sqeeze out the bad your life isn't restricted at all its free as free can be, but also happy.

[begood2]

dizzysmiles,

Welcome to LDS Talk! I like your positive attitude. I wish you and your family continued happiness! :)

[dizzysmiles]

Thankyou good, what's your life like?

[Michelle30]

Hello all!

Well, a bit about this newbie. I live in Utah, married ten years to my dh, have 2 sons 8 and 7. I love dogs, and we have 2 border collies. (I'll post pics sometime.)

I'm looking forward to visiting a message board with people of the same religion as myself.