I Need Your Help

[Andy_Plsn]

Hi Everyone

I just joined and this is my first post but anyways, i have been raised methodist and was not active in the church at all in my youth. About a year and a half ago i started this journey cause i knew i wanted more out of life. So hear I am on the journey for religion and I have talked to many people in this great trek and its been good but didn't sound right. So I decided (with the help of some mormon friends) to talk to some mormon missionaries and its just like a different view on everything I have been told in the past year. Its the best thing ever and its changed my life. Since I have started talking to them life has been great so now its time to tell the parents cause I haven't done that yet, yes i know my bad but they need to know but i don't know how to go about telling them. I also don't know what their reaction will be so I'm kinda scared so this is why I'm hear and rambling on is because i don't know how to tell / talk to my parents about this.

thanks andy

[Jia]

How old are you first off? And do they have any previous ideas or opinions about the LDS Church?

[Andy_Plsn]

i am 18 and i haven't really had any "ideas" about the LDS church i have two friends my age that are members and yeah thats about it

[Brother Dorsey]

Hi Everyone

I just joined and this is my first post but anyways, i have been raised methodist and was not active in the church at all in my youth. About a year and a half ago i started this journey cause i knew i wanted more out of life. So hear I am on the journey for religion and I have talked to many people in this great trek and its been good but didn't sound right. So I decided (with the help of some mormon friends) to talk to some mormon missionaries and its just like a different view on everything I have been told in the past year. Its the best thing ever and its changed my life. Since I have started talking to them life has been great so now its time to tell the parents cause I haven't done that yet, yes i know my bad but they need to know but i don't know how to go about telling them. I also don't know what their reaction will be so I'm kinda scared so this is why I'm hear and rambling on is because i don't know how to tell / talk to my parents about this.

thanks andy

Andy....I was in the exact place you are 30 years ago...my advice is do what you feel is best for you. Your parents aren't going to disown you. If you decide to tell them that you are investigating the church do it with honesty and sincerity....tell them you love them and tell them how the church makes you feel....then show them by example how the church has changed your life. My mother still doesn't accept my faith...my father didn't either when he was alive....but it become a non issue in a very short span of time for them. They saw the change it made in me for the better, they knew how much the Kingdom of God was a part of my life and accepted it. Your parents will too....proove to them by example....love them, but do what is right for you

Godspeed on your journey my brother......

[Andy_Plsn]

ok thanks for that its just like yeah its hard and you know this and yes. and i dont know what they are going to say at all and stuff so baah. its just been a great past month or so and yeah idk.

thanks andy

[Jia]

Same thing with my family. I still have a Southern Baptist Grandmother, and a Born again Christian aunt who always want to make sure I read the Bible MORE than the Book of Mormon, lol, but other than that they kinda got over themselves about the whole idea of it. I think a lot of parents are at least grateful that their children believe in something.

[TheWatcher]

Hello Andy!

That is really wonderful that you feel so good about the church and you know in your heart that it is the right thing to do! I am impressed by your willingness to seriously consider joining the church despite the obstacles.

I was raised LDS so when I see and hear stories like yours it is such a testimony to me that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is true! (Of course there came a time when I had to find my OWN testimony, not just go to church because my parents wanted me to, but there was no opposition at all).

I know a young man who is in your shoes. He ended up joining the church without his parents knowledge. At first, when he told them he was meeting with the missionaries, they told him they would disown him, kick him out which meant he would have to drop out of college and get 2 jobs just to survive. He continued anyway, trusting that all would work out. One day when he broached the subject with his Mom, she basically told him that if it made him happy then she wouldn't stop him, though she is still against it. Somehow she went from this militant standpoint to realizing he was an adult and could choose for himself. I know that the Lord has softened her heart..it was truly amazing!

He has been a happier person, spends his time more productively and some older members have really taken him under their wing and supplied him with parental love and support, support he never knew existed before! He could never have predicted the outcome...he just knew the church was true and got baptized. He recently received the Melchizedek Priesthood and is serving The Lord while on his way to finding out who he really is and what great things he is capable of achieving!

May The Lord bless you on YOUR journey and give you the strength and faith you need.

Don't give up! Spend as much time as you can with the missionaries...I know they really helped my friend!

[the Ogre]

ok thanks for that its just like yeah its hard and you know this and yes. and i dont know what they are going to say at all and stuff so baah. its just been a great past month or so and yeah idk.

thanks andy

You know what Andy,

I've writing things on this board and reading for next semester all day. What you wrote is the best thing I've read all day. Good luck with your folks. Love them no matter what they say.

Aaron the Ogre

[the_jason]

Just tell them, plain and simple.

[cchrissys1]

refer to the church your going to join by it's name, The Church of Jesus Christ of the latter-day saints. don't say mormon. it'l more than likely freak em out and we are not really supposed to refer to it as mormon. we are supposed to stand tall and tell em it is Jesus' Church.

please people don't right me saying i'm wrong ensighn dec. 1983 Dean B Cleverly " I have a Question" states " when refering to members it is generaly better to say laterday saints or members of the church rather than mormons. "

good luck. ya know even if things don't go well they may except it in time. I am a convert too and the only member in my family.

[Andy_Plsn]

Thank you all for your great help and advice now all thats left is the whole telling them part and i just need to find a good chance but its hard as some of you know i haven't the slightest clue what their reaction is going to be it could go either way either they would be whatever or completely flip out so idk o well ill keep you all posted when i do tell them, which will be hopefully soon

[Andy_Plsn]

ok, so i told my parents last saturday and it was we will say good they just had a few questions. i just told them was that i was talking to the missionaries and such but when i told them that, i was fasting to know if the church and the book of mormon were true (and also for the extra strength to tell them). i got answer that it was all true after i told my parents and it was awesome. so i met with the missionaries and broke my fast told them the good news and they asked me if i wanted to get baptized , after i got such a powerful answer the only thing i could say was yes, so now i need to tell my parents that i have decided to join the church and get baptized. so thats the next step with the parents but so far this has been the best thing thats ever happened to me and its just great i could go on for hours but since your reading i shall spare you all the reading and such. i thank you all for your advice and am sorry if i babbled once again.

thanks

andy

[TheWatcher]

Andy,

I'm SOOO happy for you! Thanks so much for keeping us informed..I've been wondering and hoping that things will work out for you, and they have! Congratulations! (and you weren't babbling!!)

[Andy_Plsn]

thanks for the congrats life has just been grand lately and i total believe its because of this great thing thats happened to me

[Andy_Plsn]

so i told the parentals and it didnt go over too well my father just dosent want to hear about it and my mom thinks im rushing into things and i should take more time to think about things but im getting baptized on the 11th wow less than a week and yeah so in the past week or so life has went down hill and like the past couple of days have been really hard and its like there are bad sprits around with me and 2 of my friends and i know its just cause my baptism is getting close so i know i just need to pray and study alot and i will be fine so thats what we have been doing so its been a bit better.thanks again andy

[Doctor Steuss]

so i told the parentals and it didnt go over too well my father just dosent want to hear about it and my mom thinks im rushing into things and i should take more time to think about things but im getting baptized on the 11th wow less than a week and yeah so in the past week or so life has went down hill and like the past couple of days have been really hard and its like there are bad sprits around with me and 2 of my friends and i know its just cause my baptism is getting close so i know i just need to pray and study alot and i will be fine so thats what we have been doing so its been a bit better.thanks again andy

Maybe you should ask the Missionaries to give you a priesthood blessing. I know that such blessings often help for some people.

[Andy_Plsn]

ok so today was insane and i did get a blessing and it was good i have had a good discussion with my parents and we have agreed to disagree on the religion topic but had a good talk about other things they don't want ne part of my religion or my choice but will support me and just don't want to hear about it so yeah there not coming to my baptism but o well hopefully they will come around some day

[Andy_Plsn]

o and yesterday i pretty much broke down cause it was going soo badly and did ask for a blessing and it was good i also went out tracting with 2 of the elders it was pretty fun we didn't get to teach but we got turned down twice haha

[Alaskagain]

I'm glad you were at least able to talk with your parents, and get to the point you are now. Just keep loving them, and doing what's right. Going out the missionaries is wonderful!

[the Ogre]

so i told the parentals and it didnt go over too well my father just dosent want to hear about it and my mom thinks im rushing into things and i should take more time to think about things but im getting baptized on the 11th wow less than a week and yeah so in the past week or so life has went down hill and like the past couple of days have been really hard and its like there are bad sprits around with me and 2 of my friends and i know its just cause my baptism is getting close so i know i just need to pray and study alot and i will be fine so thats what we have been doing so its been a bit better.thanks again andy

Rock on Dude!!!

[gabelpa]

so i told the parentals and it didnt go over too well my father just dosent want to hear about it and my mom thinks im rushing into things and i should take more time to think about things but im getting baptized on the 11th wow less than a week and yeah so in the past week or so life has went down hill and like the past couple of days have been really hard and its like there are bad sprits around with me and 2 of my friends and i know its just cause my baptism is getting close so i know i just need to pray and study alot and i will be fine so thats what we have been doing so its been a bit better.thanks again andy

That's actually a pretty good result. Hopefully they can continue to disagree and not interfere. They could be doing what my mother-in-law did, and join the church just so they could maintain power and control over you, but she's an abusive person, whereas I get the impression your parents are not.

-Gabelpa

[Andy_Plsn]

i know i havent posted on here in a while. i just wanted to keep everyone updated i got baptized the 11th of august as planed. it was awesome that day my friend who was taking the lessons and before that was very strong atheist decided to get baptized!!!! so since i got the priesthood the week after i got baptized he asked me to baptize him. it was the most incredible thing i have ever done and now i see why the priesthood is soo real. i got it one week and that was cool the next week i passed sacrament the week after that so last week i blessed the sacrament and then the next baptized my friend. this has been the craziest month of my life like i have all of these good things happen then in the middle of all the goodness something bad happens like my grandmothers house gets flooded and things like that so yeah its been a good past month.

andy

[snipe123]

i know i havent posted on here in a while. i just wanted to keep everyone updated i got baptized the 11th of august as planed. it was awesome that day my friend who was taking the lessons and before that was very strong atheist decided to get baptized!!!! so since i got the priesthood the week after i got baptized he asked me to baptize him. it was the most incredible thing i have ever done and now i see why the priesthood is soo real. i got it one week and that was cool the next week i passed sacrament the week after that so last week i blessed the sacrament and then the next baptized my friend. this has been the craziest month of my life like i have all of these good things happen then in the middle of all the goodness something bad happens like my grandmothers house gets flooded and things like that so yeah its been a good past month.

andy

You just brought tears to my eyes Andy...That is just awesome that you got to use the priesthood to bless the life of your friend...I think you should go on a mission yourself...You will be eligable in a year and just think how many of these types of experiences you will have in the process...you will learn an incredible ammount as you teach The Gospel and it will be the foundational experience upon which you build the rest of your life...Think about it, if you have not already...Some of the best missionaries I have met, were recent converts to the church...My mission was one of the best things I could have ever done, and it will be for you too, if you decide to go...:)

[Andy_Plsn]

issac i have thought about going on a mission and i think its the right thing for me to do. at school lately i have not felt motivated to do my work and such because i have prayed about going to school here and its not what i should be doing. it just feels wrong but at this moment there is no other options. and my parents would freak if i just droped out so i just have to go through with it. and it seems pointless to go out and do a bunch of work to make friends if im just gona leave at the end of next summer. so im pretty much a loner now. but all is well i have a few people here that i went to high school with and i go out with the missionaries. and at semester break i have to break the news to may parents that i have decided to go on a mission and i think there gona flip out. so im having alot of trouble preparing for that. so i really dont know what to do at this moment.

andy

[snipe123]

issac i have thought about going on a mission and i think its the right thing for me to do. at school lately i have not felt motivated to do my work and such because i have prayed about going to school here and its not what i should be doing. it just feels wrong but at this moment there is no other options. and my parents would freak if i just droped out so i just have to go through with it. and it seems pointless to go out and do a bunch of work to make friends if im just gona leave at the end of next summer. so im pretty much a loner now. but all is well i have a few people here that i went to high school with and i go out with the missionaries. and at semester break i have to break the news to may parents that i have decided to go on a mission and i think there gona flip out. so im having alot of trouble preparing for that. so i really dont know what to do at this moment.

andy

Thats great Andy...I had a feeling you were thinking about it, so I just wanted to encourage you...One thing to focus on would be a good study of the scriptures to strengthen your testimony...Focus on the parables of Jesus and The Book of Mormon...The Knowledge you gain from this, will then be at your fingertips so that you can help people...

Lots of LDS kids go to school for a year before they leave on a mission...Do your best even if it's not in your heart to be there now...you have to wait a year before you go anyway, so you might as well make it productive...As a side note, I was a horribly lazy student in High School...smart, but lazy...add to that, virtually no parental accountability and I failed tons of classes... went to summer school 3 out of 4 years in high school...pretty pathetic I know...I learned to love studying on my mission and when I got back, I got straight A's in college...:) The Lord will bless you tremendously...

Also a word of caution...If you are anything like I was, Satan will do everything he can to try to get you to delay your departure, or not go all together...whether by anti-mormon stuff, temptation to sin, family conflict, or even some great opportunity for work or school...Stay focused on that goal, and this experience will be the great divide in your life...meaning when you look back on your life it will be: Things that happened before my mission, and things that happened after...

If you ever have a question or need some encouragement, there are probably tons of former missionaries on the forum that have had similar questions or experiences...also, stay close to your Bishop and other priesthood leaders and have fun with the missionaries...Can't believe you have gone tracting with them...That is totally cool! You will meet some wonderful people and some definite loons...I met a guy who claimed to be an Angel...haha

Don't be a loner...get to know the people in your ward, do all the social ward events etc...

When the time comes to tell your parents, they might flip out, but just explain that you want others to find the same joy and happiness you have found and that may soften the blow a bit...God bless you Andy...such a thrilling time for you...