Is Joining the Church Unlucky?

[David13]

Someone on another forum wanted to know as they had suffered various misfortune after joining, and then later in life reactivating in the church.
I'm in a similar situation.
I joined the church in April, not really by choice, but some inspiration or draw into it. I'd like to say I dreamt of an earthquake and then saw the church standing, or the Temple or something, but it was just subtle. Just walking in the door after having stared many times at the meeting houses and wondering.
In May medical issues started and seem to indicate blood or bone cancer. And thus that I only have at most a year to go.
I'm not young. I've outlived my mother by 14 years, and brother by 12. But I would have 25 to go if I wanted to live as long as my father.
And I know I would die one day in or out of the church.
But I consider myself extremely lucky to have finally entered the church and started to receive the joy and benefits of the gospel.
Someone gave a quote from Joseph Smith from the 6th Lecture on Faith.

"7 Let us here observe, that a religion that does not require the sacrifice of all things, never has power sufficient to produce the faith necessary unto life and salvation; for from the first existence of man, the faith necessary unto the enjoyment of life and salvation never could be obtained without the sacrifice of all earthly things: it was through this sacrifice, and this only, that God has ordained that men should enjoy eternal life; and it is through the medium of the sacrifice of all earthly things, that men do actually know that they are doing the things that are well pleasing in the sight of God. When a man has offered in sacrifice all that he has, for the truth's sake, not even withholding his life, and believing before God that he has been called to make this sacrifice, because he seeks to do his will, he does know most assuredly, that God does and will accept his sacrifice & offering, & that he has not nor will not seek his face in vain. Under these circumstances, then, he can obtain the faith necessary for him to lay hold on eternal life."

So I could only be luckier if I had joined the church long ago.
dc

[askandanswer]

There are lots of possibilities here. Perhaps you were being protected from too much misfortune until the time that you joined the church, and now that you have greater faith than what you had before, you are less in need of that protection. Or perhaps because Satan was unsuccessful in preventing you from joining the church he is now focussing his efforts on getting you to leave by placing misfortunes in your path. Or perhaps now that you have joined the church you have fulfilled your main purpose in life and now have more important things to do elsewhere. Or perhaps it is entirely coincidental and random. 

 

If I was a new member of the church, and the only member in my family, I would put all my efforts into a) preparing to go to the temple; b) preparing to receive the Melchizedek Priesthood; and c) doing as much family history as possible. As the only member in your family, you have a huge responsibility on your shoulders and there are generations of people who have died who are waiting for you to release them from bondage.

 

I would like to hope that you will be preserved long enough to accomplish at least the first and second goals, and to have made a substantial start on the third.

 

I'm sorry to hear about your medical issues. I pray that you will be accurately diagnosed and correctly treated, and be given strength to accomplish that which you most need to do. 

 

Best wishes and I look forward to continuing to read your posts. 

[Blackmarch]

Someone on another forum wanted to know as they had suffered various misfortune after joining, and then later in life reactivating in the church.

I'm in a similar situation.

I joined the church in April, not really by choice, but some inspiration or draw into it. I'd like to say I dreamt of an earthquake and then saw the church standing, or the Temple or something, but it was just subtle. Just walking in the door after having stared many times at the meeting houses and wondering.

In May medical issues started and seem to indicate blood or bone cancer. And thus that I only have at most a year to go.

I'm not young. I've outlived my mother by 14 years, and brother by 12. But I would have 25 to go if I wanted to live as long as my father.

And I know I would die one day in or out of the church.

But I consider myself extremely lucky to have finally entered the church and started to receive the joy and benefits of the gospel.

Someone gave a quote from Joseph Smith from the 6th Lecture on Faith.

"7 Let us here observe, that a religion that does not require the sacrifice of all things, never has power sufficient to produce the faith necessary unto life and salvation; for from the first existence of man, the faith necessary unto the enjoyment of life and salvation never could be obtained without the sacrifice of all earthly things: it was through this sacrifice, and this only, that God has ordained that men should enjoy eternal life; and it is through the medium of the sacrifice of all earthly things, that men do actually know that they are doing the things that are well pleasing in the sight of God. When a man has offered in sacrifice all that he has, for the truth's sake, not even withholding his life, and believing before God that he has been called to make this sacrifice, because he seeks to do his will, he does know most assuredly, that God does and will accept his sacrifice & offering, & that he has not nor will not seek his face in vain. Under these circumstances, then, he can obtain the faith necessary for him to lay hold on eternal life."

So I could only be luckier if I had joined the church long ago.

dc

I agree.

I'd add that when when one starts to actively pursue the path of righteusness they get the attention of the devil.

[cdowis]

You might find the experience of  Moses helpful as related by Elder Holland.

 

https://youtu.be/Uqjwr7KXI30