How do I know where I'm meant to be?

[SallyJaye]

I’m in need of any help or advice any of you can offer, I know since introducing myself on here I haven’t been very active but I have bee reading many threads and posts. Apologies in advance as this is going to be very long winded.

A year ago today my Nana died after what was thankfully a short illness. We were called in the early hours of the morning, by the nursing staff who said she had taken a turn for the worse. This was one the hardest days in my life so far. We discussed with the doctors and nurses that we didn’t want her resuscitated as we knew she would not want this. And the doctor said he would write her up for diamorphine to make her comfortable. (It took all day for her to actually receive any which is another story entirely) As the day turned into nit we made sure there was always someone sitting with her. As it got later into the evening my mom and dad left leaving just me with my Nana. All day we had been talking to her and telling her it was ok to and telling her to go be with Grandpa, but frustratingly nothing seemed to enable her to be set free of the pain she was feeling. But as I sat with her alone in silence holding her hand muttering words of comfort to her I cannot remember now I suddenly remembered ho much she believed in prayer and how much comfort it brought her, so tried to remember the Lords prayer which I had said everyday in school assemblies. Eventually I had to ‘googled’ it on my phone as I could not remember it. When I found it I held her hand in mine and started to whisper it to her. As I did so I felt amazing sense of peace and calm was over me, after I said Amen my Nana squeezed my hand and mouthed Amen herself. Shortly afterwards I felt that I had to leave her now. I left at around 12 that night and a little after 1 in the morning we had a phone call telling us she had died. My parents went to the hospital to see her but I felt that Nana and I had said our good byes. You may be wandering why I have just told you all this but here is where I feel my religious and spiritual journey began (So I felt it relevant). I truly believe that through saying that prayer my Nana was able to leave this earth, and that brings me great comfort.

My struggle, in which I am asking for help, comes with not knowing which church to belong to. In the past year I have read the Bible and began praying a lot, which I feel has kept me close to my grandparents and brought me closer to God. In the summer before I finished university my housemates and I were having a BBQ in the front garden when some missionaries walked past and offered to talk with us about the LDS church (which we all declined) but they gave us some leaflet type things which prompted me to look at lds.org and mormon.org online. I learnt a lot about the church started reading the Book of Mormon and have been in contact with missionaries on the phone who are based in Utah. When reading the Bible I feel the spirit, but when reading the Book of Mormon I do not. I have not stopped reading the BOM because of this but I am struggling to believe and know what I am reading is true. I pray for guidance and help from God to know what I am reading is true. But I never felt like any of this was being answered until maybe a few weeks ago when I had decided I would attend an LDS church on Sunday. In that week I prayed on this and on the Saturday night straight after praying felt somehow compelled/guided/lead to the church on my road which is a Church of England Church. So on that Sunday I went to the C. of E. church. During the service I felt immensely calm and peaceful, making me believe I was in the right place. Is this to say this is where I should be? As I cat really speak about these things with my family.

Has anyone here ever experienced anything similar to this?

Well I think I have gone on for too long now,

Thank you for reading and I hope I’ve made sense?

Sally

[Guest]

I’m in need of any help or advice any of you can offer, I know since introducing myself on here I haven’t been very active but I have bee reading many threads and posts. Apologies in advance as this is going to be very long winded.

A year ago today my Nana died after what was thankfully a short illness. We were called in the early hours of the morning, by the nursing staff who said she had taken a turn for the worse. This was one the hardest days in my life so far. We discussed with the doctors and nurses that we didn’t want her resuscitated as we knew she would not want this. And the doctor said he would write her up for diamorphine to make her comfortable. (It took all day for her to actually receive any which is another story entirely) As the day turned into nit we made sure there was always someone sitting with her. As it got later into the evening my mom and dad left leaving just me with my Nana. All day we had been talking to her and telling her it was ok to and telling her to go be with Grandpa, but frustratingly nothing seemed to enable her to be set free of the pain she was feeling. But as I sat with her alone in silence holding her hand muttering words of comfort to her I cannot remember now I suddenly remembered ho much she believed in prayer and how much comfort it brought her, so tried to remember the Lords prayer which I had said everyday in school assemblies. Eventually I had to ‘googled’ it on my phone as I could not remember it. When I found it I held her hand in mine and started to whisper it to her. As I did so I felt amazing sense of peace and calm was over me, after I said Amen my Nana squeezed my hand and mouthed Amen herself. Shortly afterwards I felt that I had to leave her now. I left at around 12 that night and a little after 1 in the morning we had a phone call telling us she had died. My parents went to the hospital to see her but I felt that Nana and I had said our good byes. You may be wandering why I have just told you all this but here is where I feel my religious and spiritual journey began (So I felt it relevant). I truly believe that through saying that prayer my Nana was able to leave this earth, and that brings me great comfort.

My struggle, in which I am asking for help, comes with not knowing which church to belong to. In the past year I have read the Bible and began praying a lot, which I feel has kept me close to my grandparents and brought me closer to God. In the summer before I finished university my housemates and I were having a BBQ in the front garden when some missionaries walked past and offered to talk with us about the LDS church (which we all declined) but they gave us some leaflet type things which prompted me to look at lds.org and mormon.org online. I learnt a lot about the church started reading the Book of Mormon and have been in contact with missionaries on the phone who are based in Utah. When reading the Bible I feel the spirit, but when reading the Book of Mormon I do not. I have not stopped reading the BOM because of this but I am struggling to believe and know what I am reading is true. I pray for guidance and help from God to know what I am reading is true. But I never felt like any of this was being answered until maybe a few weeks ago when I had decided I would attend an LDS church on Sunday. In that week I prayed on this and on the Saturday night straight after praying felt somehow compelled/guided/lead to the church on my road which is a Church of England Church. So on that Sunday I went to the C. of E. church. During the service I felt immensely calm and peaceful, making me believe I was in the right place. Is this to say this is where I should be? As I cat really speak about these things with my family.

Has anyone here ever experienced anything similar to this?

Well I think I have gone on for too long now,

Thank you for reading and I hope I’ve made sense?

Sally

Hello Sally. Yes, it makes complete sense.

To answer your question directly... you know where you are meant to be by the promptings of the Holy Spirit. Surrender your will to God and He will show you the way.

The trick is understanding how the Spirit speaks to you. It is different for everybody - so nobody can really tell you how that would feel like. But, it seems like you already recognize the voice of the Spirit so you are on the path.

Now, I am LDS as most people on this forum is. I have to say that most people here are biased to the LDS faith. Of course. We also believe that if you ask God to reveal the truth to you with a sincere heart, you will find it. We, the LDS, of course believe that the LDS church is where the complete truth is. Many people who are born and raised LDS grew up learning about this truth and later on in life gain confirmation of the truth through the Holy Spirit.

But what about those who are not LDS? Does that mean they are wrong? Of course not. I was born and raised Catholic and I will testify to you that my Catholic upbringing was very important in my spiritual journey. I will testify to you that I was following the promptings of the Holy Spirit and found truth in the Catholic Church. There are many good things that come from that church, therefore, I cannot say at all that the Catholic church do not have truth.

Now that I am LDS, I can see the progression from the truths that I learned from the Catholic church to the fullness of truth in the LDS church, so that I realize that my being Catholic was a preparation for the restored gospel. Line upon line, precept upon precept.

Therefore, when you are prompted by the Holy Spirit to attend the Church of England, I cannot tell you that is wrong. Because, only God knows you completely and knows how your journey needs to be. When you seek diligently with all your heart and strength for the words of God and appeal to the Spirit to guide you and He shows you the way, you cannot deny that. It could very well possibly be that the truths you find in the Church of England is what you need to prepare you for the fullness of the gospel.

Keep searching, keep studying, keep praying and praising God and follow Him. Let His will be done.

Lots of love to you.

[bytor2112]

I don't believe the Lord would lead anyone astray or away from HIS church which leads to Eternal salvation. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is the Kingdom of God on earth in preparation for the return of Jesus Christ. The pathway to salvation is laid out in HIS restored church and through the Authority of the Priesthood and the saving ordiances performed there in. So, perhaps......somewhere inside..... you desired to be a part of the Church of England, maybe because it is more familiar to you, but, I do not believe that the Spirit leads anyone toward an apostate (respectfully) church when the fullness of the Gospel has been restored and is being offered.

[rameumptom]

The Book of Mormon teaches us that God gives to all people that amount of light and truth they are ready and able to receive into their lives (Alma 29:8). God does not lead people astray with his Holy Spirit. However, God will lead people to the amount of truth and light they are ready to receive. And when those people are ready for more light and truth, he will give them the additional inspiration to take the next step.

One of the professors of philosophy at BYU is a former protestant minister. He knew God called him to be a minister in that Church and to serve the people to the best of his ability. The time did come when the Lord called him to become a LDS member and serve on a higher level and capacity. Both were calls from God, and each was needed at the time, as previously he was not fully ready to live the Mormon life or follow modern prophets. Now he is very dedicated to his service to God in the Melchizedek Priesthood, yet retains fond memories of his service to God as a minister of another faith.

[hordak]

Have to go with Anatess on this.

Could God give an individual a lesser law to follow based on their needs, desires, limits etc. when there is a higher one available?

Sure. He did it to an entire nation/people during the Exodus.

Exodus 32–34. Moses receives stone tablets containing instructions from the Lord but breaks the tablets when he returns from Sinai and sees the people worshiping a golden calf (31:18; 32:1–24). The Lord takes the ordinances of the Melchizedek Priesthood from Israel and gives them a lesser law, the law of Moses (Joseph Smith Translation, Exodus 34:1–2). Moses hews new tablets of stone to replace those that he has broken, but the new tablets do not include “the words of the everlasting covenant of the holy priesthood” (34:1–5; Joseph Smith Translation, Deuteronomy 10:2). The people covenant to obey the law of Moses (34:10–35).

[ryanh]

I cannot vouch for the following quote, but it seems germane to the direction this thread is taking.

President Ezra Taft Benson in a 1972 address quoting Orson F. Whitney from a 1928 general conference address:

“Perhaps the Lord needs such men on the outside of His Church to help it along. They are among its auxiliaries, and can do more good for the cause where the Lord has placed them, than anywhere else. … Hence, some are drawn into the fold and receive a testimony of the truth; while others remain unconverted … the beauties and glories of the gospel being veiled temporarily from their view, for a wise purpose. The Lord will open their eyes in His own due time. God is using more than one people for the accomplishment of His great and marvelous work. The Latter-day Saints cannot do it all. It is too vast, too arduous for any one people. … We have no quarrel with the Gentiles. They are our partners in a certain sense.”

See: why doesn't moroni's promise "work" for everyone?

[spamlds]

Good quote, RyanH! The Lord is kind, patient, and merciful. If a person is sincere and willing to follow him, the Lord will lead him or her to the truth according to his own timeline.

[SallyJaye]

Thank you all for reading and replying. Your words and input have really helped. I am continuing to pray on this and study the scriptures for help and answers.

The Book of Mormon teaches us that God gives to all people that amount of light and truth they are ready and able to receive into their lives (Alma 29:8). God does not lead people astray with his Holy Spirit. However, God will lead people to the amount of truth and light they are ready to receive. And when those people are ready for more light and truth, he will give them the additional inspiration to take the next step.

It could very well possibly be that the truths you find in the Church of England is what you need to prepare you for the fullness of the gospel.

rameumptom and anatess thank you for your input, it makes so much sense to me now. Perhaps because it has taken me nearly 15 years to find my path back to God and his truth, that I am being shown to the amount of truth I am ready to receive at this point in my life. Perhaps the Holy Spirit will in time lead me to the whole truth when I am ready to receive it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gwen

President Ezra Taft Benson in a 1972 address quoting Orson F. Whitney from a 1928 general conference address:

Quote:

“Perhaps the Lord needs such men on the outside of His Church to help it along. They are among its auxiliaries, and can do more good for the cause where the Lord has placed them, than anywhere else. … Hence, some are drawn into the fold and receive a testimony of the truth; while others remain unconverted … the beauties and glories of the gospel being veiled temporarily from their view, for a wise purpose. The Lord will open their eyes in His own due time. God is using more than one people for the accomplishment of His great and marvelous work. The Latter-day Saints cannot do it all. It is too vast, too arduous for any one people. … We have no quarrel with the Gentiles. They are our partners in a certain sense.”

ryanh thank you for this quote, God works in such mysterious and marvelous ways. I don't think we can possbly ever expect to fully understand or know how He works and His journey for us all. But if we continue to follow Him and listen to the Holy Spirit He will in time show us all that we need to know.

Sally

[Dove]

Hello, Sally;

Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts and experiences with us. That you would trust us with your question and experiences surely is an honor~

I really appreciate the gentleness in your thread, too....

I think it's great that you know God lives and wants to direct you...I do know that He loves all of us and wants to help us in any way we will allow Him to.

I am LDS, and am so grateful and glad to be so.....Even though by being LDS God has required some very difficult things of me in remaining so.

I would only ask that you not give up on investigating the LDS church. I do so because I have felt the Spirit so strongly in being a member of it. It has so many glorious things to offer. I would just ask that you keep going awhile longer before deciding on a different church.

Regardless, best of wishes in you journey in finding/doing God's will for you...

Dove