What Are You?

[Blessed]

I was thinking about Ldstalk and my new friends online here and I was wondering how each of you have come into the LDS faith. I, myself, am a 7th generation RLDS. My great, great grandfather was baptized by Joseph Smith, Jr. Then he went West with Brigham Young. Then he was asked to take a second wife and had a "revelation" that it was not from God so he went back east to find Jospehites and became a missionary for the RLDS church.

What are you? A convert? A generationalist? A person who just walked up and thought... "hmmm, I think I would like to be LDS?"

[JcDean78]

Convert 10 years ago at the age of 18. Only member in my family other than my wife.

[sixpacktr]

My father joined when I was 7 (a really long time ago, although I still remember the taste of sweet tea and how much I really, really liked it!); my mother was inactive, and then became active. My wife is a convert, when she was in her late teens, the only one in her family. My mom's side started with her parents; my dad is the only member on his side.

[Guest mamacat]

I was thinking about Ldstalk and my new friends online here and I was wondering how each of you have come into the LDS faith. I, myself, am a 7th generation RLDS. My great, great grandfather was baptized by Joseph Smith, Jr. Then he went West with Brigham Young. Then he was asked to take a second wife and had a "revelation" that it was not from God so he went back east to find Jospehites and became a missionary for the RLDS church.

What are you? A convert? A generationalist? A person who just walked up and thought... "hmmm, I think I would like to be LDS?"

that's quite extraordinary Blessed....your family's many generations in the RLDS. thanks for sharing that. i'd like to learn more about RLDS.

i was baptised in LDS in january this year. i met our missionaries the day after christmas in the parking lot of my apartment complex. they visited our tiny apartment a few days later, and i attended church with them the following sunday. i had prayed for a long time for spiritual guidance, and their appearance certainly seemed ordained.

[Canuck Mormon]

My parents were converts before I was born. Attended church until the age of 18 when I moved out of my parents house. Stopped going to church, & started to do things contrary to the teachings, like drinking, smoking, pre-marital XXX, etc. Married my high school sweetheart, had a son. After 7 years of marriage my wife told me she was gay . Had a new business fail, got divorced. Asked the Lord for help, and he got me a job the next day. Been active ever since. Attended the Temple for the first time March 2006. Getting married in the Temple July 14th. That's my story.

[shanstress70]

My father joined when I was 7 (a really long time ago, although I still remember the taste of sweet tea and how much I really, really liked it!); my mother was inactive, and then became active. My wife is a convert, when she was in her late teens, the only one in her family. My mom's side started with her parents; my dad is the only member on his side.

Sweet tea in NY???

[Vanilla]

I am a 7th generation member on my mother's side (One of my great, great, great, great grandmother's earliest memories was attending the funeral of the Prophet Joseph and his brother.) My father was a convert.

I was raised in the church, inactive for far too many years, and now enjoy the blessings of the Temple.

[roman]

I was thinking about Ldstalk and my new friends online here and I was wondering how each of you have come into the LDS faith. I, myself, am a 7th generation RLDS. My great, great grandfather was baptized by Joseph Smith, Jr. Then he went West with Brigham Young. Then he was asked to take a second wife and had a "revelation" that it was not from God so he went back east to find Jospehites and became a missionary for the RLDS church.

What are you? A convert? A generationalist? A person who just walked up and thought... "hmmm, I think I would like to be LDS?"

While I'm not lds, lots of my family on my dads side are. Interestingly enough I have a copy of the journal that my great great grandfather wrote as he travveled west with BY. Maybe these 2 knew each other.

[sharrard_family]

I was BIC. My great great grandfather was baptized by missionaries. I fell out of the church for a short time. got pregnant as a teenager. Found this wonderful man (my night in shinning armor), married him. Had my baby. My husband and I decided to adopt her out through LDS adoption services. WE stayed inactive for another year and met these wonderful friends who inspired us to go to church again and become active through their example. To make a long story short... We were sealed in the temple on june 3 2006, and have been going strong ever since.

[wiley]

Born in the church in a part-member family. Wasn't really converted until 20ish, and even then I kept screwin up. Never lost faith in the gospel since my conversion, but it has been an upward battle. My wonderful wife keeps me strong though. Looking to be sealed soon.

[Blessed]

While I'm not lds, lots of my family on my dads side are. Interestingly enough I have a copy of the journal that my great great grandfather wrote as he travveled west with BY. Maybe these 2 knew each other.

Interesting, roman. My great, great grandfather, also, kept a journal of his travellings and I have it in my possesion. His name was Elder John Hawley. I bet they did know each other as John Hawley, I believe if memory serves me correct, was apart of the Twelve or at some high ranking within the church at that time.

It was quite the scandal when he left and he nearly lost his life over it or atleast according to his journal.

[roman]

<div class='quotemain'>

While I'm not lds, lots of my family on my dads side are. Interestingly enough I have a copy of the journal that my great great grandfather wrote as he travveled west with BY. Maybe these 2 knew each other.

Interesting, roman. My great, great grandfather, also, kept a journal of his travellings and I have it in my possesion. His name was Elder John Hawley. I bet they did know each other as John Hawley, I believe if memory serves me correct, was apart of the Twelve or at some high ranking within the church at that time.

It was quite the scandal when he left and he nearly lost his life over it or atleast according to his journal.

Wow to say the least. The journal I have is very very hard to read. The writting is very bad and sometimes very hard to follow. Iam going to write that name down and see if I ever come across it. Small world eh?

[Palerider]

I have been a member all my life......my Dad was never active in church. He did join when they got married but fell away soon after. My Mom's side goes all the way back to the pioneers.

[CrimsonKairos]

My earliest ancestor lived with God, but then had to make a trek eastwards from Eden, where he received the gospel. After a long period of active and inactive ancestors between him and my current parents, my immediate family is LDS except for my oldest brother who joined the Greek Orthodox Church.

[a-train]

Missionaries baptized my mother's family when she was a teenager. My father found the Church while in the military. They met at a Church function while still new members. They were married in the Provo temple. I was born about a year later while my mother was still 19 years old.

My Dad was murdered when I was six. My mother fell away from the Church and I rebelled harshly in my early teens but underwent a powerful conversion around my 17th birthday.

It is difficult to really convey what happened. I simply became a little curious about the scriptures and began reading. At the time I was basically uncertain if there even was a God at all. I kept trying to convince myself that there is no way I could have just so happened to have been born into the correct religion. I read just about every anti-mormon thing I could find.

I began studying in the public library and I read the scriptures like an addict. I determined to attempt to extricate myself from every evil practice in order to be worthy of any revelation or whatever. I wanted a real answer to my prayers and something concrete, a manifestation, some sort of communication from God or something. Friends of mine in school began to make fun of me because I was 'turnin' all Christian' or 'becoming a Bible thumper'. They would say: 'He doesn't have fun anymore, he just reads the Bible.'

I kept getting the burning in the bosom accompanied by strokes of logic, like I would suddenly say in my mind the most profound thing. I would then ask myself: 'How did I know that?'

What shocked me most was when I would have such a manifestation and later read a talk or something that almost said the exact same thing. I eventually read D&C 9:8 for the first time. It was like the greatest thing I had ever seen. It described the exact thing that was happening to me.

Once I was convinced there was a God, that Jesus is the Christ (is God), the scriptures were true, that Joseph Smith was a prophet and the LORD gave great revelation through him and the LDS leaders after him, I was very concerned with my own salvation. I was constantly repenting. I went to my Bishop. I literally wondered if I had gone too far, as if I could not be forgiven.

I am not one who cries much. My mother had me looked at by a therapist when I was young because she wondered if I was dealing with things properly though I never cried. One night I felt the burning in me as strong as ever and the thought came into my mind: 'Don't you know that Satan's most diligent engagement is to deny the Atonement of Jesus Christ? Don't you know he wants you to sink into dispare and give up? Believe him not.' I came closer to crying then than in a long time.

Then in the middle of some night I read this:

'Marvel not that all mankind, yea, men and women, all nations, kindreds, tongues and people, must be born again; yea, born of God, changed from their carnal and fallen state, to a state of righteousness, being redeemed of God, becoming his sons and daughters;

And thus they become new creatures; and unless they do this, they can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God.

I say unto you, unless this be the case, they must be cast off; and this I know, because I was like to be cast off.

Nevertheless, after wading through much tribulation, repenting nigh unto death, the Lord in mercy hath seen fit to snatch me out of an everlasting burning, and I am born of God.

My soul hath been redeemed from the gall of bitterness and bonds of iniquity. I was in the darkest abyss; but now I behold the marvelous light of God. My soul was racked with eternal torment; but I am snatched, and my soul is pained no more.

I rejected my Redeemer, and denied that which had been spoken of by our fathers; but now that they may foresee that he will come, and that he remembereth every creature of his creating, he will make himself manifest unto all.

Yea, every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess before him.'

This came to me so powerfully that I struggled to see the words for the tears in my eyes. God touched me there and spoke these words to me that night. I will never forget it. I wept.

Today I am the only active member of my immediate family. A cousin of mine is also active, but I rarely see him, he is out of state. My wife was baptized about a year after I met her and we were sealed in the San Diego temple a little over a year after that. She has no family in the Church whatsoever.

I can rarely get through a ten minute period without a thought about the LORD. I am not the best man I know. I have many weaknesses, but I can say I know God lives and retain my integrity.

-a-train

[sharrard_family]

Wow A-Train that was just amazing. You about made me cry. I don't know if that is just from all my pregnant hormones, but I belive it was the spirit of the Lord testifying of your belife in Christ. You are an amazing individual... I applaude you

[pam]

Born and raised in the church. My mother's side of the family go back to early years of the church. One ancestor is mentioned in the D&C. He came west to Utah and his name is on a rock at "This is the Place Monument."

[miztrniceguy]

BIC, mother convert at 14 or 15 when she married my dad. dad's family members way back, dad from idaho. dad fell away after mom divorced him before i was a year old. mom's next 3 hubbies were all nonmembers. we went on sundays, and my sisters and i all went to mutual(now ym/yw). i stopped going to seminary my sr year, as i tested out of school early. stopped altogether right after that. after 15 or so inactive years came back in 1999. in 2000 got patriarchal blessing,became elder, went to temple. 2002 married my wife in nauvoo temple, now 2 kids and done having them.

only family member active in my family.

[Guest mamacat]

Missionaries baptized my mother's family when she was a teenager. My father found the Church while in the military. They met at a Church function while still new members. They were married in the Provo temple. I was born about a year later while my mother was still 19 years old.

My Dad was murdered when I was six. My mother fell away from the Church and I rebelled harshly in my early teens but underwent a powerful conversion around my 17th birthday.

It is difficult to really convey what happened. I simply became a little curious about the scriptures and began reading. At the time I was basically uncertain if there even was a God at all. I kept trying to convince myself that there is no way I could have just so happened to have been born into the correct religion. I read just about every anti-mormon thing I could find.

I began studying in the public library and I read the scriptures like an addict. I determined to attempt to extricate myself from every evil practice in order to be worthy of any revelation or whatever. I wanted a real answer to my prayers and something concrete, a manifestation, some sort of communication from God or something. Friends of mine in school began to make fun of me because I was 'turnin' all Christian' or 'becoming a Bible thumper'. They would say: 'He doesn't have fun anymore, he just reads the Bible.'

I kept getting the burning in the bosom accompanied by strokes of logic, like I would suddenly say in my mind the most profound thing. I would then ask myself: 'How did I know that?'

What shocked me most was when I would have such a manifestation and later read a talk or something that almost said the exact same thing. I eventually read D&C 9:8 for the first time. It was like the greatest thing I had ever seen. It described the exact thing that was happening to me.

Once I was convinced there was a God, that Jesus is the Christ (is God), the scriptures were true, that Joseph Smith was a prophet and the LORD gave great revelation through him and the LDS leaders after him, I was very concerned with my own salvation. I was constantly repenting. I went to my Bishop. I literally wondered if I had gone too far, as if I could not be forgiven.

I am not one who cries much. My mother had me looked at by a therapist when I was young because she wondered if I was dealing with things properly though I never cried. One night I felt the burning in me as strong as ever and the thought came into my mind: 'Don't you know that Satan's most diligent engagement is to deny the Atonement of Jesus Christ? Don't you know he wants you to sink into dispare and give up? Believe him not.' I came closer to crying then than in a long time.

Then in the middle of some night I read this:

'Marvel not that all mankind, yea, men and women, all nations, kindreds, tongues and people, must be born again; yea, born of God, changed from their carnal and fallen state, to a state of righteousness, being redeemed of God, becoming his sons and daughters;

And thus they become new creatures; and unless they do this, they can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God.

I say unto you, unless this be the case, they must be cast off; and this I know, because I was like to be cast off.

Nevertheless, after wading through much tribulation, repenting nigh unto death, the Lord in mercy hath seen fit to snatch me out of an everlasting burning, and I am born of God.

My soul hath been redeemed from the gall of bitterness and bonds of iniquity. I was in the darkest abyss; but now I behold the marvelous light of God. My soul was racked with eternal torment; but I am snatched, and my soul is pained no more.

I rejected my Redeemer, and denied that which had been spoken of by our fathers; but now that they may foresee that he will come, and that he remembereth every creature of his creating, he will make himself manifest unto all.

Yea, every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess before him.'

This came to me so powerfully that I struggled to see the words for the tears in my eyes. God touched me there and spoke these words to me that night. I will never forget it. I wept.

Today I am the only active member of my immediate family. A cousin of mine is also active, but I rarely see him, he is out of state. My wife was baptized about a year after I met her and we were sealed in the San Diego temple a little over a year after that. She has no family in the Church whatsoever.

I can rarely get through a ten minute period without a thought about the LORD. I am not the best man I know. I have many weaknesses, but I can say I know God lives and retain my integrity.

-a-train

this is a super testimony. i am grateful that you shared this.

[tiancum]

Been LDS since i was 9. My dad prohibited me from joining at first.

at age 17 started to know the savior, and received the baptism of fire and the holy ghost.

Now, doing my best to keep that mighty change of heart. Some days are easier than others. Thank heaven for the sacrament. Thank heaven for the scriptures, thank heaven for the Prophets. Thank heaven for my best friend. He walked the Lonely mile, so that I wouldn;t ahve to.

[Acez]

7th Generation LDS here.

Acez