Tarnish

[PeterRizzo]

I wanted to just chat w/someone in the church online. I became a member of the church

several years ago, baptise my daughters in the church. Lost my way in the church a few

years ago. I occasionly will bump into missionaries from the church, chat awhile. They -

(the missionaries) always encourage me to return to the church, sometimes they will pray

for me. I don't feel I can return, I feel tarnish. I miss some of the brothers & sisters I

knew in the LDS community. I miss the Temple.

God Bless you all.

Edited November 28, 2011 by beefche
removed personal email

[FunkyTown]

Hi Peter,

Everyone is tarnished. It's okay, and we'd love to have you back!

I should let you know, though, that we discourage people from sending emails to new people offline. We've had some real problems with people coming on, pretending to be something they're not and then sending viruses, trojan horses and the like.

God bless.

I wanted to just chat w/someone in the church online. I became a member of the church

several years ago, baptise my daughters in the church. Lost my way in the church a few

years ago. I occasionly will bump into missionaries from the church, chat awhile. They -

(the missionaries) always encourage me to return to the church, sometimes they will pray

for me. I don't feel I can return, I feel tarnish. I miss some of the brothers & sisters I

knew in the LDS community. I miss the Temple.

God Bless you all.

Edited November 28, 2011 by pam
Had personal email

[PeterRizzo]

Thanks for your response Funkytown. I think what makes it hard for me that I know the "truth" of Heavenly Father's plan thru our Lord Jesus Christ, I'm a rebel at heart.

What I mean is I don't take things at face value, I fight injustice, usually w/o thinking

when I should be relying on Heavenly Father for the answers.

Anyway, I'm just trying to figure out a way to get right w/the Lord. I see you are from the

"United Kingdom" ? I visted England many years ago when I was in the Navy. I visted

Portsmouth, saw the HMS Victory (BIG ship!) and I went to London, saw Buckingham Palace. Wanted to see the country side of England.

Thanks again, God Bless.

[annewandering]

How is fighting injustice not in keeping with the church? God expects us to fight it. He isnt going to come here and do it for us. :)

[Forget-Me-Not]

I wanted to just chat w/someone in the church online. I became a member of the church

several years ago, baptise my daughters in the church. Lost my way in the church a few

years ago. I occasionly will bump into missionaries from the church, chat awhile. They -

(the missionaries) always encourage me to return to the church, sometimes they will pray

for me. I don't feel I can return, I feel tarnish. I miss some of the brothers & sisters I

knew in the LDS community. I miss the Temple.

God Bless you all.

Funkytown is right. Everyone is tarnished. If you could see into the minds and hearts of others, if you see into any of our lives, see what we go through behind closed doors or get a glimpse behind the protective covering we tend to wear to hide our weaknesses, faults, sins, fears, and sorrows, you would see we're all tarnished by them.

You would see that we have all struggled, and do struggle, in one way or another, with one thing or another, sometimes many things, in this life. What's more, whether our struggles, weaknesses, and sins be slight small gray smudges or thick wide black marks makes no difference. We all have the same need of our Savior and of the grace of a loving God and Father.

Sometimes we can feel we're just too weak or that we've just fallen so far that there is no help or hope for us. I have been there at times and I have a loved one who is there right now, feeling as though he turned his back on God and let Him and everyone else down, when, after he joined the church and was so happy and strong for a time, then stumbled and lost his way.

He longs to return, aches for it, but feels he is too tainted by sin and weaknesses of the flesh. Feels so tainted and undeserving, so unworthy, even, that he feels as though he's fallen from the grace of God. I have tried to help him understand that is not so. That he has not fallen so far that the Lord can't reach him still, and that he is every bit as deserving and worthy of the help and care of a loving Heavenly Father as any of the rest of His children. "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him, should not perish, but have everlasting life."

Please, do not feel you cannot return. Please do not feel that you are so tarnished that there is no hope for you or that you are undeserving or unworthy of the love and care of our Heavenly Father and our Savior. They love you with a love that cannot end. That love is so great, in fact, that even if you were the only one on this earth who was tarnished and needed saving, the Lord would have gone through all he did, even for you alone, so great is your worth.

[Forget-Me-Not]

Thanks for your response Funkytown. I think what makes it hard for me that I know the "truth" of Heavenly Father's plan thru our Lord Jesus Christ, I'm a rebel at heart.

What I mean is I don't take things at face value, I fight injustice, usually w/o thinking

when I should be relying on Heavenly Father for the answers.

Anyway, I'm just trying to figure out a way to get right w/the Lord. I see you are from the

"United Kingdom" ? I visted England many years ago when I was in the Navy. I visted

Portsmouth, saw the HMS Victory (BIG ship!) and I went to London, saw Buckingham Palace. Wanted to see the country side of England.

Thanks again, God Bless.

P.S. My loved one is a rebel at heart too and one who is intensely passionate about fighting injustice. That is a strength, not a weakness, and you are blessed to have it. It only needs channeling in the right direction and it will serve you and others well. :)

[PeterRizzo]

Thank you annewandering. I always thought God gives us the strenght and courage to

fight for a just cause, I know the church is inline w/that. I guess what I was trying to

express that I too often do things w/o Heavenly Father's guidance. I feel I've gain

knowledge but don't use it in the way to bring glory upon his name. I know there are

others in the same boat as me and I thank you :) for sharing your testamony w/me of

your experience. I have a hard time w/my feelings - I feel useless.

But I will work on it w/prayer and I'll keep you in my prayers and do the same for me

cause I'm really hurting.

Your bro in Christ - Tarnish :^

[Forget-Me-Not]

Oh you sound so much like him, even down to some of the exact same words. I will keep you in my prayers. :)