Your testimony


Guest Gallant Pioneer
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Guest Gallant Pioneer

Heya guys thanks for the warm welcome to the forum. 

I don't know where to put this thread so here will do for now I suppose. 

I was wondering if you guys could give me your personal thoughts and feelings as to why you became/remain latter day saints. 

This doesn't have to be deep profound stuff just more of a snap shot of what being a latter day saint is to you and what is it that gives you your testimony. 

You can take this thread as light hearted or as serious as you like. 

 

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Guest LiterateParakeet

I joined the church when I was 12. I didn't know anything about Joseph Smith or The Book of Mormon. I had been attending church for awhile, but Primary was different back then. 

Anyway, I had attended some Christian churches before finding the Lord's church. In the Christian churches, I heard a lot about heaven and hell. And I wonder ed where I would end up. I didn't think I was bad enough to go to hell, but I also wasn't sure I was good enough to go to heaven. Where is the line, I wondered. 

In Primary, I learned about the Three Degrees of Glory. That made so much more sense to me than heaven/hell.  It still does!

In my baptismal interview the Bishop asked me if I believed in Joseph Smith. I thought, "Who is that? Oh well, if this church believes in him, I do too."  So I smiled at the Bishop and said, yes.  Same scenario with the Book of Mormon.  I gained a testimony of these much later.

Edited by LiterateParakeet
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Ugh.  I'm actually writing a book on this topic.  The short and easy answer is:  When looking at the journey that was my conversion and taking in the mountains heavenly father moved to put the right people in my path, there is absolutely zero possibility that this isn't His will for me or that He doesn't exist.  It doesn't matter that there are many things I don't have a testimony of.  It doesn't matter that there are many things I don't understand.  It doesn't matter that I very much struggle with some things relating to being a member of this church.  What matters is there isn't the slightest doubt in my mind that in spite of all those things, I can't deny that He brought me to this place and went above and beyond to get me here.

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3 hours ago, Gallant Pioneer said:

Heya guys thanks for the warm welcome to the forum. 

I don't know where to put this thread so here will do for now I suppose. 

I was wondering if you guys could give me your personal thoughts and feelings as to why you became/remain latter day saints. 

This doesn't have to be deep profound stuff just more of a snap shot of what being a latter day saint is to you and what is it that gives you your testimony. 

You can take this thread as light hearted or as serious as you like. 

 

An answer to prayer that, over 5 decades, cannot be explained as anything other than the will of a Living God and which has only expanded in significance and personal motivation as time has gone on.

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I’ve known tragedy from a very young age. And, when I’ve experienced such profound grief the gospel gives me the hope to soldier on. I can’t imagine my life without the gospel. It is the foundation that I lean on. It gives my life purpose and meaning. Not only that, but I’ve had profound witnesses from the Spirit that has testified to me the truthfulness of the gospel.  I can not deny the witness I’ve received.

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I was born and raised a member of the Church.  I soon turned into a church nerd and became interested in learning about everything church related.  I read all the scriptures, Jesus the Christ, Mormon Doctrine, Answers to Gospel Questions, and whatever else I could get my hands on.  Then I took an interest in “anti-Mormon” material.  I had to balance that out with the apologetic material.  Now because of my nerdy interest, I know about most of the Church’s baggage.  

So why do I remain a member?  My faith is rooted in Christ.  After knowing about all the bizarre details of Nauvoo polygamy, the mess that is the Book of Abraham, treasure digging, Adam-God, etc., I still feel drawn to Christ for some reason.  And I find Chirst in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

I wound consider myself Christian first and a Latter-day Saint second.  I guess you can say that I have been following the advice given in Helaman 5:12.   

I also can say that my experience in the day-to-day life of church membership has been mostly positive.  It helps that I like my ward now as well.

Edited by Phineas
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My reason is answered by a chain of events and beliefs.  first off, I took consideration of the "lilies of the field" which led me to believe there was a god and that led me to believe there was a son for the sins who formed a church and its that same church. My very short answer.

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20 hours ago, Gallant Pioneer said:

Heya guys thanks for the warm welcome to the forum. 

I don't know where to put this thread so here will do for now I suppose. 

I was wondering if you guys could give me your personal thoughts and feelings as to why you became/remain latter day saints. 

This doesn't have to be deep profound stuff just more of a snap shot of what being a latter day saint is to you and what is it that gives you your testimony. 

You can take this thread as light hearted or as serious as you like. 

 

Sometimes even a snapshot can have a lot of information.  I am a 5th generation member.  I was borne of very good parents.  Yet, just as is most often the case - I am different.  I grew up to become an engineer and scientist working the the field of industrial automation, robotics and artificial intelligence.   I am very connected to logic and science as well as religion and I believe in truth as both a scientific and religious passion.  I believe in evolution and I believe in G-d and I believe that the truth of both is completely compatible.  

My first moving spiritual experience happened when I was eight years old.  I learned that the Book of Mormon is divinely inspired of G-d when I was 13.  I joined the army when I was 17 (during the Vietnam conflict) and finished high school while in the army.  At age 19 I transfered to the inactive army reserve to serve 2 years as missionary for the church.  I have endeavored to be of service to both G-d and country.   

I have never doubted that there is a G-d, nor have I ever found reason to disbelieve the covenants, ordinances and laws (especially concerning the priesthood) taught in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  I am convinced that the kingdom of G-d cannot continue on this earth without divinely appointed living prophets to guide and direct the citizens of such a kingdom and its society of saints.  I have traveled the world in my work and have met many great and wonderful people of just about all major religions and a lot of minor religions as well.  I am well versed in the doctrines of many religions and have incorporated much of what I have learned into my own understanding of religious things.  I have a very high respect for Buddhism and Islam (mostly Shia) and most devout individuals of any religion.

As much as I do believe in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints - I would embrace in an instant a greater path to things divine and eternal should I ever encounter such truth but to be honest - I have never encountered anything even close and so sacredly witnessed by G-d to be true.  Not that there are not some members that are a little strange to me but that we are not only taught as Saints but given every opportunity to act and serve as Saints through teachings and callings.

 

The Traveler

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Guest Gallant Pioneer
1 hour ago, Traveler said:

Sometimes even a snapshot can have a lot of information.  I am a 5th generation member.  I was borne of very good parents.  Yet, just as is most often the case - I am different.  I grew up to become an engineer and scientist working the the field of industrial automation, robotics and artificial intelligence.   I am very connected to logic and science as well as religion and I believe in truth as both a scientific and religious passion.  I believe in evolution and I believe in G-d and I believe that the truth of both is completely compatible.  

My first moving spiritual experience happened when I was eight years old.  I learned that the Book of Mormon is divinely inspired of G-d when I was 13.  I joined the army when I was 17 (during the Vietnam conflict) and finished high school while in the army.  At age 19 I transfered to the inactive army reserve to serve 2 years as missionary for the church.  I have endeavored to be of service to both G-d and country.   

I have never doubted that there is a G-d, nor have I ever found reason to disbelieve the covenants, ordinances and laws (especially concerning the priesthood) taught in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  I am convinced that the kingdom of G-d cannot continue on this earth without divinely appointed living prophets to guide and direct the citizens of such a kingdom and its society of saints.  I have traveled the world in my work and have met many great and wonderful people of just about all major religions and a lot of minor religions as well.  I am well versed in the doctrines of many religions and have incorporated much of what I have learned into my own understanding of religious things.  I have a very high respect for Buddhism and Islam (mostly Shia) and most devout individuals of any religion.

As much as I do believe in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints - I would embrace in an instant a greater path to things divine and eternal should I ever encounter such truth but to be honest - I have never encountered anything even close and so sacredly witnessed by G-d to be true.  Not that there are not some members that are a little strange to me but that we are not only taught as Saints but given every opportunity to act and serve as Saints through teachings and callings.

 

The Traveler

Top post, thanks, I'm a student of world religions myself and I've had about 18 years of Theravada Buddhism in my younger years. 

I suppose I should share a little of my testimony but I'm currently at work so it'll have to wait a while. 

Thanks everyone for your inputs it's appreciated. 

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For me it was when the Missionaries identified the Holy Ghost.  They were teaching me and told me that what I was feeling right then was the Holy Ghost testifying to me that what they were telling me was true.  At that point it hit me like a ton of bricks.  I actually was able to recognize the spirit for the first time in my life and was able to recognize what it was telling me.

From then on out I could also recognize when the spirit was around and realized that when I read the Book of Mormon especially (though I could also recognize it when I read the New Testament for example), or when I was at the LDS services that I also felt this. 

That I could also recognize when it was not present or having a source from other sources and places made me recognize when it was testifying of truth.

Other things have caused me to have a stronger testimony over the years, but that was the initial point of my testimony solidifying.

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On 3/6/2019 at 2:19 PM, Gallant Pioneer said:

I was wondering if you guys could give me your personal thoughts and feelings as to why you became/remain latter day saints.

This stems from a member that is born under the covenant. My first experience with the voice of the Spirit was when I was fifteen. The next three experiences occurred between the years of 17 and 18 years of age. When on a mission I experienced confusion, a confusion that resulted from misunderstanding a verse of scripture. This resulted in fasting and praying for a period of two months or so (obviously not consecutively).

I am a member of the Church because the Spirit of the Lord confirmed its truth to my mind and heart.

Why I remain, is because I know I can trust in the voice of the Spirit that has called me by name. It has been sure and true.

Edited by Anddenex
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On 3/6/2019 at 9:32 PM, Phineas said:

...

My faith is rooted in Christ.  After knowing about all the bizarre details of Nauvoo polygamy, the mess that is the Book of Abraham, ...

I would add to my testimony some thought on the Book of Abraham.   I majored in Math and Physics in college and find the Book of Abraham to be one of the profound and stunning witnesses of the prophetic calling of young Joseph Smith perhaps only preceded by the Book of Mormon.  The Book of Abraham is codified in ancient symbolism of Egypt that appeared at the time of Abraham in Egyptian culture shrouded in the mystic science and theology of the Pathagoreans - a ancient Egyptian cult from which a Greek slave arose to fame and from which he changed his name (Pythagoras).  As an amature student of history (including math and physics).  I understand the science of ancient Egypt that believed G-d's understanding of mathematical ratios gave G-d the creative power to order and establish the order of all things in the universe ).  Ratios that give rise in our modern mathematics to pi, natural logs, the golden mean and general relativity.

As an exercise of study - I would recommend one compare the Book of Abraham (especially chapter 3) to Doctrine and Covenants section 88.  That the two are talking about the same thing but one through the ancient philosophy of Egypt based in ratios and the other in Newtonian physics which was the basis of modern philosophy of the era of Joseph Smith.  The restoration of the Book of Abraham would not and could not have been possible without a divine investiture of a prophet of things unknown among men when Joseph Smith translated and provided both the Book of Abraham and section 88 of the Doctrine and Covenants.

But there is another witness surfacing concerning the Book of Abraham.  That there are forces of pure evil (in opposition of pure good) operating in the affairs of men to cloud truth and create doubt of critical notions necessary for understanding divine things.

 

The Traveler

Edited by Traveler
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