Be Re-baptized...?

[Ankh]

Greetings Brothers and Sisters of the faith,

Being that I have been out of the church for just about 10 years now... and as I slowly but surely make my way back to the Church of Jesus Christ I was wondering if I need to be re-baptized again along with receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost as well as again receiving the Aaronic Priesthood (as far as I came)?

Your replys are patiently awaited :)

ANKH

[inthearmsofsleep]

Were you ever excommunicated? The only way you'd need to be re-baptized is if you were excommunicated... otherwise, when you take the sacrament worthily and with the right intentions it will be as if you were baptized again.

[WillowTheWhisp]

Or if you requested that your name be removed from Church records, that would mean you'd need to be rebaptised too.

[Rebmik]

Otherwise --- just go to Church. You have been missed. Talk to the Bishop or Branch President. They'll help you on your way back.

[Hemidakota]

Seeing your age is my age, if you were still faithful during your less-active time, I recommend that you at least obtain Elder as a priesthood but attend the High-Priest Quorum. Now if you were not faithful, please see the ward Bishop.

Remember my friend, it is never too late to come back and never hard to receive full membership from Christ again. We here to support you and the desire you to make that come back to the fold or the path that leads to the Tree of Life.

[lilered]

Greetings Brothers and Sisters of the faith,

Being that I have been out of the church for just about 10 years now... and as I slowly but surely make my way back to the Church of Jesus Christ I was wondering if I need to be re-baptized again along with receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost as well as again receiving the Aaronic Priesthood (as far as I came)?

Your replys are patiently awaited :)

ANKH

My counsel would be: If during your inactivity you have not committed any grievious or serious sins, then I see no reason to be rebaptized etc. Just return to church this Sunday. I would encourage you to attend all Sunday meetings and ask to speak to your Bishop in private. Once you have his ear, let me know of your desires to come back in to the "fold" and seek his help.

Welcome back.

[PapilioMemnon]

Welcome back!

It's NEVER too late to be back at the place we should have never left..., but in case we ever do, how do we come back?

Well my friend, like the Nike slogan says: "Just Do It!" Just attend church this Sunday and as many others have said, speak to your Bishop... They are wonderful people who are there to help, guide you through the Holy Spirit with anything and based on the things you tell them, they will tell you all you need to know and do.

Don't delay one more Sunday!

Re-baptism is only required in cases of ex-communication. Even if it requires you to be re-baptized, go for it!

I'm glad you're back even if I don't know you!

May the Lord bless you with all you need to do to come back into His fold and Kingdom!

You're needed!:)

[Hemidakota]

The man I do admire while as prophet, true friend, and a great brother in the gospel of Christ - Spencer W. Kimball. It was his plaque that Nike took the quote - "DO IT".

I have this in office on the wall: "Lengthen our stride" and "Do it".

[Vanilla]

This place seems to be a magnet for those wanting to come back to church. I came here years ago when I decided to come back. Everyone is right, just go back, people will be happy that you are back. Find your Bishop, meet with him and start enjoying the blessings of the Gospel. Welcome to the board and welcome back to activity!

[Hemidakota]

Yes, I have friend who is lurking here [less active] and that is why I am here.

[Vanhin]

I always liked this song.

Vanhin

[Ankh]

Were you ever excommunicated? The only way you'd need to be re-baptized is if you were excommunicated... otherwise, when you take the sacrament worthily and with the right intentions it will be as if you were baptized again.

Greetings inthearmsofsleep,

Thanks for your reply. No I was not excommunicated.

I was only in the church a few months when my "previous Christian education" got the best of me and I abandoned ship... if you know what I mean? I see now I was a "stoney ground hearer" (Matthew 13:20-21) when it came to the teachings of the LDS church. Though I abandoned the church quite quickly, that "seed" (after all these years) was still laying dormant waiting for the time when it would be nourished properly and then "spring up" to new life. That time has come... for it is NOW. Praise God :)

Peace unto you.

Ankh

[Ankh]

Greetings WillowTheWhisp,

In the following you wrote...

Or if you requested that your name be removed from Church records, that would mean you'd need to be rebaptised too.

WillowTheWhisp, awhile after leaving the church I did consider having my name removed from the Church records, and even spoke with Bishop to have the papers sent that I may fill them out to be released. I think I did receive something from the Bishop to that effect, but when it came right down to it I just couldn't bring myself to fill them out. A still small voice kept telling me "you don't want to do that, you don't want to do that"... and so I heeded to that persuasion and didn't file suit. Thank God. In the back of my mind I always thought I might come back someday so I wanted to leave that door open. Glad now I did.

Peace unto you

Ankh

[Ankh]

Greetings PapilioMemnon,

In the following you wrote...

Welcome back!

It's NEVER too late to be back at the place we should have never left..., but in case we ever do, how do we come back?

Well my friend, like the Nike slogan says: "Just Do It!" Just attend church this Sunday and as many others have said, speak to your Bishop... They are wonderful people who are there to help, guide you through the Holy Spirit with anything and based on the things you tell them, they will tell you all you need to know and do.

Don't delay one more Sunday!

Re-baptism is only required in cases of ex-communication. Even if it requires you to be re-baptized, go for it!

I'm glad you're back even if I don't know you!

May the Lord bless you with all you need to do to come back into His fold and Kingdom!

You're needed!:)

PapilioMemnon, thank you so much for your encouraging reply.

No I was not excommunicated. But if upon examination by the church it is felt I should be re-baptized... all I can say is, "where is the nearest pool?"

Peace unto you always.

Ankh

[skippy740]

Greetings PapilioMemnon,

In the following you wrote...

PapilioMemnon, thank you so much for your encouraging reply.

No I was not excommunicated. But if upon examination by the church it is felt I should be re-baptized... all I can say is, "where is the nearest pool?"

Peace unto you always.

Ankh

It's INSIDE and the water's WARM!

[Ankh]

Greetings Brother Hemidakota,

In the following you wrote...

Seeing your age is my age, if you were still faithful during your less-active time, I recommend that you at least obtain Elder as a priesthood but attend the High-Priest Quorum. Now if you were not faithful, please see the ward Bishop.

Remember my friend, it is never too late to come back and never hard to receive full membership from Christ again. We here to support you and the desire you to make that come back to the fold or the path that leads to the Tree of Life.

Brother Hemidakota, Thanks so much for you're support, advice and acceptance.

When you mention not being "faithful" during my time of inactivity... what specifically do you mean? I Have an idea but just want to clarify.

By the way brother, I always am blessed by your insightful posts. I can see you are a "deep thinker" and don't like to leave any stone unturned when it comes to finding "truth." We're both going to get along just fine then

Peace unto you always.

Ankh

[lilered]

Ankh, remember the Lords love knows no boundaries. God will be overjoyed at the return of one of his prodigcal sons.

[Brother Dorsey]

Ankh.....

I went through a similar period of inactivity from the church. I was baptized at 21, went to church for about a month, received the Aaronic priesthood, went a couple more months and became inactive. I learned very little of the Gospel, never read the BOM or standard works, didn't know anything but what the missionaries taught me, and was pretty much left on my own at church...no home teachers came around, no calling, no "hi, how are you doing"...nothing...I simply fell away....for 23 years. But the seed was planted. I had a testimony of the first vision, small as it was, I believed it. During those 23 years I was absolutely unfaithful to the Lord, drank, smoked, cheated on my wife, got divorced, I was bound by Satan's silken chains. But, then I remarried, found a great woman who was a non member and she wanted to know what I believed. I told her what I could remember about the church and Joseph Smith. She was intrigued and wanted to know more but I couldn't remember much more. A few years later the missionaries came knocking at my door and my wife took the lessons. We went to church every Sunday, I stopped smoking, drinking coffee and alcohol, and cussing (a real problem of mine). After about 4 months of listening to the missionaries and actually going to Gospel principles classes I learned a

lot and my wife wanted to be baptized. This was almost 6 years ago. When I went to interview with the Bishop about being worthy to baptize my wife I was so afraid I was going to be kicked out of church for my past deeds. I didn't sleep for the 4 days prior to the interview. As I sat in this good mans office he asked me the standard questions...when he got to the part of " is there anything in your past you need to repent of," It was as if someone opened a valve, many tears were shed as I told him everything, I was so ashamed and was truly repentant for my past actions. I told him that I would follow his council and if I was to be dis-fellowshipped or excommunicated I would do whatever I had to to be a member of the Lord's church once again. The Bishop paused, stood up, embraced me for the longest time and told me, "the Lord loves you" (the 4 greatest words I could ever have heard at that time) and that the Lord knew my heart and that I am worthy to baptize my wife. The Bishop has been given the gift of discernment, the ability to know the truth of repentance. He said I was in a very dark period of my life those 23 years and I have now come back into the light and have grabbed hold of that iron rod once again. A few months later I was ordained an Elder and a year later our family was sealed in the Temple.

Ankh, brother, the Lord loves you...welcome back!

[Ankh]

Greetings Brother and Sister Dorsey,

Ankh.....

I went through a similar period of inactivity from the church. I was baptized at 21, went to church for about a month, received the Aaronic priesthood, went a couple more months and became inactive.

And here I thought my time with the church was the shortest I don't know if you read my abridged testimony at "Introductions" but I was only involved with the church for about 5 months before I became inactive. Too much "Christian doctrine" from the past choked whatever word I had received and I fell away.

I learned very little of the Gospel, never read the BOM or standard works, didn't know anything but what the missionaries taught me, and was pretty much left on my own at church...no home teachers came around, no calling, no "hi, how are you doing"...nothing...I simply fell away....for 23 years.

That's interesting. One thing I can testify to, and it has always remained with me, is that even after I left the church the bishop continued to call me and speak with me well into 2001, and I left the church in May 1998. I think the only reason he stopped was because he was transfered. The missionaries stopped once in awhile and we talked but my spiritual pursuits were elsewhere at the time.

But the seed was planted. I had a testimony of the first vision, small as it was, I believed it. During those 23 years I was absolutely unfaithful to the Lord, drank, smoked, cheated on my wife, got divorced, I was bound by Satan's silken chains.

Yes brother I can also testify that even though my time with the church was short, the seed was planted. My time away from the church found me eventually going back to drinking and cursing... but I was more in pursuit of finding the truth and so I dabbled in many, many religions, I learned alot but I would eventually find that something was still missing.

But, then I remarried, found a great woman who was a non member and she wanted to know what I believed. I told her what I could remember about the church and Joseph Smith. She was intrigued and wanted to know more but I couldn't remember much more.

I'm in my 2nd marriage and though my wife was baptized with me into the church she was never really "with it" if you know what I mean. It's more of her following my coat tails then a personal testimony. But I'm so happy for you that you have found a great woman to share the faith together with.

A few years later the missionaries came knocking at my door and my wife took the lessons. We went to church every Sunday, I stopped smoking, drinking coffee and alcohol, and cussing (a real problem of mine). After about 4 months of listening to the missionaries and actually going to Gospel principles classes I learned a

lot and my wife wanted to be baptized. This was almost 6 years ago.

That's great brother

When I went to interview with the Bishop about being worthy to baptize my wife I was so afraid I was going to be kicked out of church for my past deeds. I didn't sleep for the 4 days prior to the interview. As I sat in this good mans office he asked me the standard questions...when he got to the part of " is there anything in your past you need to repent of," It was as if someone opened a valve, many tears were shed as I told him everything, I was so ashamed and was truly repentant for my past actions. I told him that I would follow his council and if I was to be dis-fellowshipped or excommunicated I would do whatever I had to to be a member of the Lord's church once again. The Bishop paused, stood up, embraced me for the longest time and told me, "the Lord loves you" (the 4 greatest words I could ever have heard at that time) and that the Lord knew my heart and that I am worthy to baptize my wife. The Bishop has been given the gift of discernment, the ability to know the truth of repentance. He said I was in a very dark period of my life those 23 years and I have now come back into the light and have grabbed hold of that iron rod once again. A few months later I was ordained an Elder and a year later our family was sealed in the Temple.

Wow! what a super testimony. All I can say brother is "WELCOME BACK"

Ankh, brother, the Lord loves you...welcome back!

Thanks Brother Dorsey. Hope to speak with you more in future correspondences.

Peace unto you and your family.

Ankh.

[WillowTheWhisp]

It sounds like you are going to love coming back to church. :)

[Hemidakota]

Greetings Brother Hemidakota,

In the following you wrote...

Brother Hemidakota, Thanks so much for you're support, advice and acceptance.

When you mention not being "faithful" during my time of inactivity... what specifically do you mean? I Have an idea but just want to clarify.

By the way brother, I always am blessed by your insightful posts. I can see you are a "deep thinker" and don't like to leave any stone unturned when it comes to finding "truth." We're both going to get along just fine then

Peace unto you always.

Ankh

Scaring but the bigger problem is the 'Tarres among the Wheat'. God bless you in your effort and desire to return. We are here for you.