After Joining LDS Church

[Ratchet]

If I were to join the LDS church what would I have to do? I understand baptism but is there a discipleship training course? I've heard of an Aaronic priesthood and Melchizedek priesthood. Are these what adult members go through? Please add any first steps that I should know that are required for newbie Mormons. Thanks.

[rameumptom]

Welcome. The best thing to do is talk with the missionaries. They have a set of lessons they will share with you that will explain this. They will also be happy to discuss any questions you might have.

You can request a visit at Mormon.org

[kev_stevens67]

When I was baptized, I just started attending the meetings. I hope this link gives you the help you are looking for: It's good to have you here.

http://www.lds.net/forums/learn-about-mormon-church/34853-going-lds-church-first-time.html

[NeuroTypical]

I would wholeheartedly recommend attending the Gospel Principles sunday school class. The manual is here - it's a great overview of what it means to be mormon. There are the thou shalt/thou shalt nots, the thou ought and ought nots, and also sections on how we find everything put together.

[Madriglace]

Pray, read your scriptures, attend all your meetings and get involved ... be very active. So many times new members are shy or unsure and kind of wait for the ward to come to them ... but shy works both ways. One of the most successful converts I have ever seen was a gentleman in our ward who accepted the gospel with his whole heart and soul. He taught a lesson at our SA home evening just 2 weeks after he was baptized and has never missed a meeting or chance to serve.

Sunday School has a Gospel Principals class for new members as well as the follow up lessons from the missionaries or ward members(my folks are the temple class teachers and teach the follow up lessons as well). Just remember to never let anyone especially yourself come betweeen you and your progress.

[dahlia]

Getting involved is a good idea. No reason to stand in the shadows. Shortly after baptism, I was attending RS and church events, cooking for a big missionary meeting, going out to talk to investigators with the missionaries, got a calling, and doing visiting teaching. Some of it, I felt unprepared for, but you don't learn if you don't do. : )

I also love the Gospel Principles class. We have a great time and I learn the Mormon perspective on a lot of things. Apparently they assign long-term members to the class, so it's not just newbies who don't know anything talking to each other. Also, people come from a variety of religious perspectives, and hearing them is interesting as well. Do go.

[Jason_J]

If I were to join the LDS church what would I have to do? I understand baptism but is there a discipleship training course? I've heard of an Aaronic priesthood and Melchizedek priesthood. Are these what adult members go through? Please add any first steps that I should know that are required for newbie Mormons. Thanks.

Hi, I was baptized about 2 months ago.

If you are interested in the Church, you should contact the missionaries, as already recommended. They will teach you the basics of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. They will encourage you to read the Book of Mormon, and to pray to God about it as well as the other things they are teaching you. You should develop faith in Jesus Christ, repent of your sins, be baptized, and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

After this, you will continue to attend church on Sundays (when you meet with the missionaries, they will ask you to attend with them). Partaking of the Sacrament (the Lord's Supper) allows you to remember the atonement of Jesus Christ, and to renew the covenants you made with God at baptism. After Sacrament Meeting, there is Sunday School, where you will continue to learn about the Gospel. New members continue to attend the Gospel Principles class, which teaches the basics of the Gospel. After sometime, you can begin to attend the Gospel Doctrine class, which studies the scriptures (this year the Church is studying the New Testament). You should also attend the Priesthood meeting after Sunday school if you're male, or Relief Society if you are female.

I was ordained to the Aaronic Priesthood about a month or so ago, to the office of priest. In this capacity, I have blessed the emblems (bread and water) of the Sacrament for the past few weeks. It really is a powerful spiritual experience to be able to exercise the priesthood of God in the service of others.

You will also receive something called a "calling", which is essentially a "job" in your local church that helps in its functioning. You will also be a home teacher.

Finally, 2 weeks ago I received a limited-use temple recommend. This allows me to enter our temples to perform baptisms for the dead. This sacred ordinance allows us to offer the blessings of baptism to our deceased ancestors who did not have the opportunity to hear the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ in this life. This ordinance gives them the choice to accept or reject the Gospel.

Throughout all of this, you should continue to read the scriptures, pray to God, and develop your relationship with God through Jesus Christ. That is really what all of the above is about, enduring to the end.

[AltF4Aveon]

I heard gaypr0n is kewl.

U told me so <3

[Ratchet]

Has anyone heard of this AltF4Aveon? I've had this person's response in my email that comes from this thread and they respond inappropriately. I never see their response on this thread though.

[Blackmarch]

Has anyone heard of this AltF4Aveon? I've had this person's response in my email that comes from this thread and they respond inappropriately. I never see their response on this thread though.

Never seen that person post in the forums I post in. Sounds like a troll. If you have any questions about it i'd be happy to answer as best as I can.

[rameumptom]

He was a troll. He's been eliminated from the system.

[Mute]

If I were to join the LDS church what would I have to do? I understand baptism but is there a discipleship training course? I've heard of an Aaronic priesthood and Melchizedek priesthood. Are these what adult members go through? Please add any first steps that I should know that are required for newbie Mormons. Thanks.

All new recruits are required to go through a 6 month training period of strenuous physical and mental activities in order to prepare them for the horrors to come. You will be taught to wrestle a wild boar to the ground and kill it with your bare teeth. You will be made to withstand extreme temperature by standing in a wind tunnel. You will also be made to withstand large doses of gamma radiation. To test your battle coordination and strategic thinking, you will be placed in a series of war games against other opponents using live ammunition in order to ensure that only those with the stomach to endure what is to come are selected.

I remember when I first had to learn that. One man from our squad captured a prisoner. I told him to shoot the man but instead he broke down and started crying. The guards killed them both before I had chance to say anything. It was a tough lesson to learn but one I've treasured ever since. We can't have cowards on our team if we're going to win this fight.

After training, you be will be given your final test before you are fully iniated. You will be placed in an arena with a rabid dog. Here you will be made to lay down and allow the dog to maul you for three minutes. Crying out will result in immediate execution. After three minutes, you will then have to use one arm to break the dog's back with it still attacking you before you bleed to death. Only then will you be worthy for the real challenges ahead.

Upon completion of this training, you will be given your equipment. You will be fitted with an MK23 MOD 0 45-caliber offensive handgun with a suppressor and laser-aiming module as well as a grenade launcher for those close encounters. Better to take the enemy out with you than be taken alive. Only the best of the best are fitted with Benelli M4 Super 90 Shotgun though other weapons are available. You will also be fitted with latest Combat Boots, Camoflauge, Kevalar vest and survival equipment money can buy.

You might think all of this is extreme but with good purpose.

The prophet recently woke up from a vision and the results were so shocking that he broke down and cried. He saw the end of the human race and mark of the beast as their destruction.

But amongst the ruins of these dark days ahead, he still saw hope. He foretold the coming of a boy who would save man kind from annihilation.

He wrote down his dream and I am fortunate enough to have the words to prepare myself.

"In the future, all forms of dispute are settled through a new form of gladiatorial combat. All contests over land between nations, political disputes and even petty arguments are now decided by in the arena of laser dogs. Through centuries of advanced genetic engineering, a new breed of dog comes to the fighting line. No longer equipped with simply sharp teeth and a nasty growl. Now they are equipped with turbo lasers that can burn through a four inch plate of steel in seconds. Unfortunately, their creators could never have imagined the awful consequence. The dogs are now contemplating putting their human masters into the arena. Soon all nations may be ruled with an iron first by the laser dogs. Is mankind worthy of forgiveness? Now it's up to one fourteen year old boy name Raymond to decide if man's worth saving or man's best friend."

Now the prophet has undertaken a personal quest in order to find Raymond before the dogs do. It's up to us to reach Raymond and save the world one dead laser dog at a time. We can only hope we find him before it's too late but God help us if Raymond chooses to save man's best friend before his own species. Do you have what it takes to join the priesthood? I hope so...for all our sakes. Of course this all could have just been a dream, but I'd rather not bet the fate of mankind on a chance. I'm going to go with my gut and I hope to see you there with me.

[dahlia]

Mute So funny! I may have to share this with my missionaries and ask why we haven't done the wild boar thing - especially as they are good Idaho boys with mucho hunting experience and could teach me a thing or two. Apparently they have been leaving out the best parts of becoming LDS!

[dahlia]

Hi, I was baptized about 2 months ago.

Finally, 2 weeks ago I received a limited-use temple recommend. This allows me to enter our temples to perform baptisms for the dead.

Have you done baptisms yet? You should try to go as soon as possible; maybe your ward schedules regular trips to the temple. You may have to go with the youth, but better to go and get the experience than wait around for the perfect time to visit the temple.