trying to get active again

[trooper182]

hello everybody. well I have not been an active member for a few years now. I was baptized when I was 8 and was an active member until I joined the army in 2004. somewhere after joining I became inactive in the church. I have kept myself in good standing just never attended due to multiple deployments and a very demanding schedule. I will be leaving in February for my 3rd tour in Iraq and I want to get back into the church. im just not sure how to go about doing this since I will be gone again for a year. the church is a very good thing in my life and I want to get back. any help/ advice would be awesome.

[bytebear]

Does the military have an LDS branch or at least other members you can associate with? Also, take a pocket copy of the scriptures and just read a few verses each day when you have time. That will go a long way in keeping the spirit close by. Pray daily as well. Just because you can't go to church doesn't mean you can't bring the spirit into your life.

[RipplecutBuddha]

I was inactive for about six years. My advice, just start going to sunday meetings again. Talk with the bishop about your situation...maybe some of the members can write or email you during your deployment. My brother was in Iraq three times as well, and he said the letters were just as good as getting them on his mission.

As for getting active again, my process first involved getting used to praying regularly again, then opening the scriptures again, then going to meetings..talking with the bishop, etc. It felt like going back home. The spirit was very strong, and I was very very glad to have decided to get active again.

In a related comment, I have a very dear friend who's in the army and inactive. I've been praying for her for a while now, but hopefully the Lord will move her heart at the right time.

As for you, I'm happy for you and I know you'll be glad you decided to get back into it. My life has been better by far ever since I re-activated myself.

[john doe]

I would guess that if you were to speak to a chaplain wherever you are at you should be able to locate some LDS members of the service and may even find occasional church services in Iraq.

[talisyn]

Thank you for serving, and your 3rd deployment? Wow!

My youngest brother was deployed for about 1 year and wasn't able to attend services that entire time. He figured the 40 mile trip was too risky and there weren't any other LDS guys where he was (at least any who would admit it lol). There are pocket sized Bibles and Book of Mormons available, and even pocket sized hymn books, easy to fit in your jacket. I'm glad you're trying to be more active in the church. Heavenly Father is aware of you and your needs. This is a good opportunity to get closer to Him, especially through prayer. Be safe!

[trooper182]

thank you for all your replies. yea on of my first things im going to do when I get to my fob in Iraq is see if there are any Mormon services. I am bringing along my pocket sized books and my girlfriend who is a active Mormon and I are going to read them together and discuss what we read. I just feel its time to get back to what I know is true. also even more motivation is that we both want to get married in the temple sometime around the summer of 2011.

[pam]

thank you for all your replies. yea on of my first things im going to do when I get to my fob in Iraq is see if there are any Mormon services. I am bringing along my pocket sized books and my girlfriend who is a active Mormon and I are going to read them together and discuss what we read. I just feel its time to get back to what I know is true. also even more motivation is that we both want to get married in the temple sometime around the summer of 2011.

That's a great motivator right there..wanting to get married in the temple. I think it's a great idea that you two are going to read the scriptures together. It gives you both something else to bond with and bring you closer. Not only in the relationship between the two of you but also your relationship with your Heavenly Father.

Best of luck to you and be safe over there.

[coral]

Hi welcome to the forum :)

[trooper182]

Ok so I have decided to go back to church after being inactive for a few years. for the most part I have done nothing to make myself in pure. There has been something that is on my mind. At the moment I am going to be deploying to Iraq next month and training, packing, ECT is very busy at the moment. I have almost no time to do things not related to the deployment. once I get to Iraq things will calm down. I was considering trying to go to a few church sessions but was wondering at this point would it be worth it? If I did go it would maybe be 2-3 sessions. I want to start a good pattern of attendance and paying tithing but its next to impossible with just a few sundays left. so I guess what im wondering is should I just wait until I return in a year? If they have services on my fob I plan on going to them in Iraq. plus my girlfriend who is active and I are going to read the scriptures together while I am gone. we plan on being married around summer (5 months) after I return in 2011 and really want to be married in the temple. Getting active again means a lot to me and I want to do what I have to so I can accomplish this goal. thanks for any advice.

an army SGT

[john doe]

2 or 3 is better than none. Go while you can, and then you'll be that much further when you get back. It's easy to procrastinate out in the field, always something going on to give you excuses not to do it.

[nbblood]

Ok so I have decided to go back to church after being inactive for a few years. for the most part I have done nothing to make myself in pure. There has been something that is on my mind. At the moment I am going to be deploying to Iraq next month and training, packing, ECT is very busy at the moment. I have almost no time to do things not related to the deployment. once I get to Iraq things will calm down. I was considering trying to go to a few church sessions but was wondering at this point would it be worth it? If I did go it would maybe be 2-3 sessions. I want to start a good pattern of attendance and paying tithing but its next to impossible with just a few sundays left. so I guess what im wondering is should I just wait until I return in a year? If they have services on my fob I plan on going to them in Iraq. plus my girlfriend who is active and I are going to read the scriptures together while I am gone. we plan on being married around summer (5 months) after I return in 2011 and really want to be married in the temple. Getting active again means a lot to me and I want to do what I have to so I can accomplish this goal. thanks for any advice.

an army SGT

Despite my sig line, I really recommend starting back to church now. Don't procrastinate. Talk to your Bishop and draw out a plan. Most military units that deploy (particularly a brigade) or the unit you're attached to will most likely have an appointed Group Leader for that military unit. That is an individual, perhaps from your ward, that is called to preside over services for deployed military units. That Group Leader does not hold the keys that a Bishop or even a Branch President holds. That's why it's important to see the Bishop now. But it's also important to identify the Group Leader. If you're deploying with a large unit, your Bishop likely knows who that is. If you're deploying with a small unit, you may have to find out when you get there and get to the unit you're attached to. Anyway, there will most likely be services near where you are. Particularly with units consolidating onto larger FOBs and giving up the smaller COPs/JSSs, etc., you will very likely be on a FOB where services are held. If you can't identify the group leader before you leave, ask your chaplain when you get there. Any chaplain worth their weight in dirt will be able to find out when and where LDS services are held and who the designated Group Leader is.

That all said, get with your Bishop now. Make a plan to attend meetings before you leave and when you deploy. Depending on your work schedule when deployed you may be able to attend nearly any Sunday. Let your supervisor know what the schedule is and ask him/her to allow your schedule to accommodate the meetings as much as possible. There may be times when mission takes you away from them. But you'll find if you let people know that it's important to you, you can most times make time for attending the meetings.

If you have other questions, fire away. I've been deployed and I know how it goes for the most part.

[trooper182]

thanks for the advice. it should not be hard to get time off on this deployment as i am the supervisor. this is my 3rd deployment. we are deploying as a battery. im artillery, but we will be breaking up and going to multiple fobs. i will be going to fob warrior so i will check into what services they have there. im going to try and make it to sunday services this weekend.

[nbblood]

Wow. We have more in common than you think. If you check my profile you'll find I'm also an artilleryman. That particular location should have a decent sized LDS group. You shouldn't have any trouble figuring out when/where meetings are held. Sounds like you shouldn't have trouble making the time available either. Good luck, be safe, and thank-you for serving!

[dazed-and-confused]

welcome...and it seems you've gotten lots of good advice so far.

just want to say.......3 tours, is that a good thing or not?

i did 1 in viet nam and that was plenty.

good luck.....be safe.

[trooper182]

well 3 tours is not that bad. my last tour i volunteered for and i did the same for this one. the extra cash is worth it. plus its what i signed up to do.

[dazed-and-confused]

yeah, i know what you mean...i volunteered too.

[ferretrunner]

Talk to your chaplain or chaplain assistant. Even if they are not LDS, they would know if there is an LDS meeting for you to attend, even deployed. If there's not a meeting, they may be able to help with getting scriptures or perhaps connecting you with other members. There are recognized lay leaders in denominations and faiths not covered by the chaplains. Perhaps the chaplain can help organize an LDS meeting.

Hooah!

I'm due to go to Afghanistan next year, if I can get my medical issue cleared.