Many Questions (first Post)

[inthearmsofsleep]

I can't help but be excited for you, Simon. I know it sounds kind of weird, but I almost wish I could re-convert and feel all of that for the first time...again. Actually, whenever I do feel the strong witness of the Holy Ghost, it feels about as good as it did the first time I came to know that these things are true. Life is often confusing... and we're blessed with a NEED for answers (though some people might just coast through life quite a while until that desire comes). It really just comes down to asking... and showing how much you want to know the truth. Sometimes God will push us (or rather, let us push ourselves) until we almost reach our breaking point just to find those answers. One thing that's important is to recognize that the claims of this church aren't out of arrogance, though they may be bold claims. Good luck on your life-changing search for truth.

[Guest AutumnBreez]

Mormon Temple Cameroon Latter-day Saints Journey Aba Nigeria

Those on this journey reminded me to a degree of our U.S. pioneer anscestory that were using horses and covered wagons to transport their families over the pass from the east to the Salt Lake Valley in the west. Faith in Christ Church! Not only did they suffer severe opposition but they also had physical challenges beyond our scope. Their reality is somewhat hard to fathem, though it did happen.

What has changed for us ?

Population increase

Numerous Christian organizations created. New branches due to different Christian views-

Media production increase- newspaper, books, film production, internet.

Technologies in science and medicine.

Drugs- medical (side effects of medication, and depression increase)

Farming- pesticides to genetically modified.

Meat consumption and production (antibiotics to hormones for growth)

Drugs-criminal has an affect on everyone.

List goes on- lets add to it so we can see the influence it has on us and our lives- internally and externally.

General Public Acceptance- mind changing issues.

Where do we draw the line?

What choices do we have?

What has not changed for any of us?

We have Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ! Eternal love, consistancy, with order and authority.

[Guest AutumnBreez]

I can't help but be excited for you, Simon. I know it sounds kind of weird, but I almost wish I could re-convert and feel all of that for the first time...again. Actually, whenever I do feel the strong witness of the Holy Ghost, it feels about as good as it did the first time I came to know that these things are true. Life is often confusing... and we're blessed with a NEED for answers (though some people might just coast through life quite a while until that desire comes). It really just comes down to asking... and showing how much you want to know the truth. Sometimes God will push us (or rather, let us push ourselves) until we almost reach our breaking point just to find those answers. One thing that's important is to recognize that the claims of this church aren't out of arrogance, though they may be bold claims. Good luck on your life-changing search for truth.

Temple attendance is rewarding in this same regard. You leave even sweeter then when you went in.

[Pa Pa]

I found it to be very uplifting and a great joy to read. However I've never received an answer I can understand with Moroni's promise.

I think you may have received your answer...when I received a copy of the Book of Mormon, I noticed right away that the same spirit that accompanied me when I read the Bible, was with me when I read the Book of Mormon...There is great advice in the Book of Mormon that I will post...

Alma 32: 26-29

26 Now, as I said concerning faith—that it was not a perfect knowledge—even so it is with my words. Ye cannot know of their surety at first, unto perfection, any more than faith is a perfect knowledge.

27 But behold, if ye will awake and arouse your faculties, even to an experiment upon my words, and exercise a particle of faith, yea, even if ye can no more than desire to believe, let this desire work in you, even until ye believe in a manner that ye can give place for a portion of my words.

28 Now, we will compare the word unto a seed. Now, if ye give place, that a seed may be planted in your heart, behold, if it be a true seed, or a good seed, if ye do not cast it out by your unbelief, that ye will resist the Spirit of the Lord, behold, it will begin to swell within your breasts; and when you feel these swelling motions, ye will begin to say within yourselves—It must needs be that this is a good seed, or that the word is good, for it beginneth to enlarge my soul; yea, it beginneth to enlighten my understanding, yea, it beginneth to be delicious to me.

29 Now behold, would not this increase your faith? I say unto you, Yea; nevertheless it hath not grown up to a perfect knowledge.

Welcome

Pa Pa

[avatar4321]

Hrm.

Thank you.

I think my question is a little more specific.

I've seen the videos on YouTube of recent converts to the LDS faith. I think they were put up there by the More Good Foundation(?).

Anyhow, in these videos, I notice two things.

Firstly, the people seem to be very unsure in their dialogue. Their speech is often stunted and hesitant.

Secondly, the people seem to report similar experiences to mine, having had some personal life issues and then found the Book of Mormon purely by chance.

Under such times of personal duress, is that not a time we would be most susceptible to the Devils influences?

The LDS argues that the other churches do not have the fulness of the gospel. This argument however, can also be used by its critics, suggesting that it to add a Book to the accepted scriptures is diluting and therefore weakening the messages in the Bible - an unhealthy distraction.

Is the Book of Mormon inspired by the Devil?

The Devil could be inspiring people when they are at their lowest spiritiual point to join a church by pretending it is for Jesus, when instead people are just being pulled further away.

It greatly concerns me. I need to pray earnestly still, obtain confirmation, and do everything in my power to ensure that that confirmation is of God and not Satan.

Thanks

Simon

I think that Christ answers that clearly in the Gospel: A house divided cannot stand.

the devil cannot encourage people to go closer to Christ, because doing so would undermine everything he stands for.

He can however, keep people complacent in their belief in Christ. So much so to delude them into thinking there is nothing they need to do to express their faith. These people will put up stakes and say they will believe or go only so far and no more. But the whole point of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is to rip out these barrier we place in our lives that stop us from growing. Its to help us change our human nature.