how did you become lds?

[NeuroTypical]

Can you guys share how you came into the mormon church?

I recieved a direct, unmistakable spiritual witness that Joseph Smith was what he said he was, and the BoM is what it claims to be - another testament of Jesus Christ.

This happened when I was around 25 yrs old, after having grown up in the church and then gone inactive for around 6 years.

LM

[Canuck Mormon]

I was raised in the church and baptized at 8 years old. I grew up and became an Elder but never served a mission. I left the church slowly, first moving out of my parents house and started to skip weeks, then I just stopped going. When I was about 30, I had a business and a marriage collapse. I was broke, jobless and about to get kicked out of my apartment. I prayed for the first time in years. 2 days later, I got a job that allowed me to keep my apartment and pay back some debts. I started to attend church again. Then I took the discussions again and watched a movie about Joseph Smith. I distinctly remember a point in the movie when Joseph was talking to a minister and the minister told him that he was mistaken for having seen Heavenly Father and Jesus. The minister kicked him out of the wagon they were in, then Joseph turned to the minister and said that he could not deny what he had seen. That struck a chord with me. I have been active ever since.

[Guest tomk]

I was raised in the church and baptized at 8 years old. I grew up and became an Elder but never served a mission. I left the church slowly, first moving out of my parents house and started to skip weeks, then I just stopped going. When I was about 30, I had a business and a marriage collapse. I was broke, jobless and about to get kicked out of my apartment. I prayed for the first time in years. 2 days later, I got a job that allowed me to keep my apartment and pay back some debts. I started to attend church again. Then I took the discussions again and watched a movie about Joseph Smith. I distinctly remember a point in the movie when Joseph was talking to a minister and the minister told him that he was mistaken for having seen Heavenly Father and Jesus. The minister kicked him out of the wagon they were in, then Joseph turned to the minister and said that he could not deny what he had seen. That struck a chord with me. I have been active ever since.

Many many people I talk to have similar stories (including myself. Yes, I talk to myself).

What I want to know is: WHY?

Do we have to experience the bitter to prize the sweet?

What about those who never leave the Church?

I don't think I would ever say you are better-off leaving the Church and coming back. It's better to stay.

But again -- so many people go through this. Many of whom probably never dreamed they would ever go inactive.

[Maureen]

Palerider said:

...One day I decided I wanted to serve a Mission. I was 19 at the time....so....I had to get cleaned up and I left when I was 20 and served in Leeds England...

Hey Pale, my BIL went to Manchester England on his mission, during late 79-81. I wonder if your paths ever crossed. He was Elder Jamieson from Canada. :)

[Aphrodite]

I thought u had served a mission Canuck? In England? Or am I thinking of someone else?

[jms.mills]

It all started when.... (doesn't all stories start that way?)

I grew up in many different Pentecostal churches (Pentecostal Churches of God, Assemblies of God, and various non-denominational churches). In fact, I was was a preacher's kid. And, for a little while, a missionary's kid. I spent a good part of my childhood and adolescent years very active in the churches I attended. Then in High School I began to have doubts about what the claims of the churches I attened. Then, when I started my first years at college, I began to drift away from the church my parents attended.

In part, this drifting was caused because I had no car to go to church (I lived about 15 miles from the church and had only a bicycle). But the real reason I drifted away from my parent's church was my hunger for more. I did not want flashy lights, pounding sound system, and "inspirational" sermons given by the pastor. I wanted spiritual meat. I did not and could not find it in the Pentecostal churches.

So, I was pretty much inactive, refusing to go to any church services until a friend invited me to her Baptist church (sure she was pretty, but I wanted to see what her church could offer my hungry soul). I was warmly welcomed at this church, with the Pastor inviting me to have dinner, answering the questions I had. After about three months of attendance, I stopped going when I realized the "purpose" of this church as frequently expressed by the pastor was to "get the numbers up." I realize the pastor may have had righteous reasons for this message, but I did not care to hear the same message week after week.

For the next few years, I was determined never to become involved in organized religion again. I never once denied the existence of God and Jesus Christ. I knew they existed. What I could not comprehend is how the Lord's church had gotten so mixed up. I longed to return to church, but did not and could not return to church because I felt I could not find truth due to the many interpretations and "flavors" of the Gospel.

A few more years went by and I visited a friend (yes, she was a girl, and yes, she was LDS) in a different city (about 200 miles away). My original intent was to meet up with several friends who lived in that city, but her family sucked me into going to visit the temple with them. I did not know that the temple was 45 miles away from their house. So, I spent a good amount of time talking with my friend as well as her mother and father as we drove. By the time we returned to their house, it had become too late to visit my other friends. I had intended to go home the same evening (this was Saturday), but my friend's parents invited me to stay the night and go to church with them the next day. Typically I categorically refuse any type of hospitality like this (it is a long story to explain that). However, I felt compelled to accept their offer, even though it made me extremely uncomfortable to sleep in the home of a female friend (I slept on the couch BTW).

The next morning, I woke up to my friend's mother making breakfast. As she handed me the plate of food, I realized I no one else was eating... it was fast Sunday... So, not only was I feeling guilty for being an inconvenience, I am eating in front of a bunch of hungry people. I felt really bad, but knew I could not refuse the food. I went to church, borrowing a shirt and tie from one of her brothers (once again, awkward!). When I arrived, I felt such peace in the meeting. I felt a wonderful spirit in that chapel as member bore their testimonies. And, in the Sunday School lesson, I learned about the Word of Wisdom. This was interesting, because I had already sworn off all of the items listed in the Word of Wisdom: coffee, tea, tobacco, alcohol (once again, that is a long story). I did not go to the Priesthood meeting that day... I had to get home so I could study for a test the next day.

I left that meeting pondering my stance on religion. I felt comfortable at this place. Not only was I with friends, I felt a wonderful peace, as though I was in the "right" place. I knew I had to find out more. So, I began to study about the church on my own, reading a book written by a BYU faculty member. My friend then referred me to the missionaries. I was baptized a few months later, to the disappointment of my family.

A year later, I entered the temple with my friend (then my fiance) to be sealed together forever (once again tough on my family). I know it sounds as though I joined the church for a girl, but that is not the case. We started out as good friends. During the time I investigated the church, we became even closer friends. Then after I was baptized, we began to date... long distance dating (200 miles apart).

Well, that is the short/long version. There is even more, but it is hard to put it all down in one sitting.

jms

[Canuck Mormon]

I thought u had served a mission Canuck? In England? Or am I thinking of someone else?

Palerider served a mission in England. I was just born there. Ironically, both in Manchester. HMMMMMM.

[Palerider]

Palerider said:Hey Pale, my BIL went to Manchester England on his mission, during late 79-81. I wonder if your paths ever crossed. He was Elder Jamieson from Canada. :)

Manchester and Leeds were seperate missions when I was there.

[Brother Dorsey]

I've come a long way, and tonight was very special to me because I had an interview with the stake president and he's submitting my mission papers online.

In 2-3 weeks I'll let you guys know where I'm called to serve!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm mega-excited.

That is so awesome dude! I am excited for you!

[Brother Dorsey]

Many many people I talk to have similar stories (including myself. Yes, I talk to myself).

What I want to know is: WHY?

Do we have to experience the bitter to prize the sweet?

What about those who never leave the Church?

I don't think I would ever say you are better-off leaving the Church and coming back. It's better to stay.

But again -- so many people go through this. Many of whom probably never dreamed they would ever go inactive.

TomK,

My story is similar except I was not raised in the church....I became a member at 21, I was married and had a child at the time. I took the missionary discussions, had a firm belief in Joseph Smith's first vision, believed the Book of Mormon was what it was said to be and was baptized. I attended church for about 2 months and then just plain stopped going. At the time I had no calling, no home teachers visited, there was no after baptism discussions and no one in the church directed me in anyway to where I was supposed to be. I still had that seed of the Gospel planted, still had that ever so small testimony of the church. Needless to say I went back to smoking and drinking and playing the fool for the next 22 years....during this time I had been divorced and remarried and I searched for a "church" to attend with my then wife. We went to a lot of different Christian churches. Churches with rock bands, pulpit pounding preacher churches etc.....then it happened, we were invited to a church (can't recall the name) by a co-worker. We went, the services were nice and then came Sunday school...we were in a room with about 40 other adults and the teacher stood up and announced his subject for the day which was pretty much along the lines of "Why Mormons aren't Christian and why you should avoid their missionaries at all costs." A few minutes after he started to teach I just got up and walked out....I waited in the car for my wife, we got the kids and left. I was offended...I still had that seed within my heart....that wisp of a testimony of what was true.

My second marriage ended a few years later (it wasn't grounded in the Gospel). I was still not attending church...it had been almost 17 years since I set foot in an LDS chapel. I then met a wonderful woman who was not a member of any church at the time...we dated for a couple years and started to talk about marriage and I told her (I kid you not) "Any woman I marry has to go with me to the Temple and be sealed for time and eternity." Well, we were married but not in the Temple. 3 years later the missionaries tracted into our neighborhood and talked to my wife, she wanted to know more of what I believed....she started taking the discussions and "talked" me into going to church for the first time in 22 years. This was right around the time Pres. Hinckley challenged us to read the BoM. And I did for the first time in my life I read it from cover to cover in about 3 weeks (I couldn't put it down). I will never forget, I finished it at about 2am on a Saturday morning, got on my knees and pleaded with my Father in Heaven for the truthfulness within it's pages. Now, some people get a simple thought in their mind, or a comforting feeling from the Spirit....Not me, I was pretty much knocked upside the head by the Spirit. I was overwhelmed with joy, a joy so strong I cried like a baby for a half and hour...I could not sleep the rest of the night. I knew, for the first time I knew in my heart and in my mind and most importantly my spirit knew the truth, I could not deny it....I baptized my wife and a year later we were sealed in the Temple. Now......all is well.

[AmyL]

My story of membership started in August of 2002. I started dating my now husband, who has been a member all of his life, at that time. I really enjoyed being around his family (who are all members) and learning about their faith. They all had very strong tesimonies and I enjoyed going to see the kids perform their primary programs. My husband and I married on April 28, 2007. About a month after our wedding we started going to church. My husband had not been a faithful church goer for many years. Well, needless to say, the missionaries found us. We started taking the missionary discussions (well, I did) and I was baptised on November 17, 2007. My husband was able to baptise me and it was an amazing experience for both of us. Our next journey is to the temple so we can be sealed together for time and all eternity...which is something I have wised for for 6 years.

[Brother Dorsey]

My story of membership started in August of 2002. I started dating my now husband, who has been a member all of his life, at that time. I really enjoyed being around his family (who are all members) and learning about their faith. They all had very strong tesimonies and I enjoyed going to see the kids perform their primary programs. My husband and I married on April 28, 2007. About a month after our wedding we started going to church. My husband had not been a faithful church goer for many years. Well, needless to say, the missionaries found us. We started taking the missionary discussions (well, I did) and I was baptised on November 17, 2007. My husband was able to baptise me and it was an amazing experience for both of us. Our next journey is to the temple so we can be sealed together for time and all eternity...which is something I have wised for for 6 years.

Ahhhh...the Temple....never in my life will I ever forget my own endowment along with my wife and then the sealing was beautiful. As we knelt across the alter and were sealed for eternity then our 4 year old entered the room all dressed in white and was sealed to us....I cried like a baby. The Spirit is so very strong in the Temple....you can feel the Lords presence to the point of turning a corner and maybe seeing Him. You are going to love the Temple of the Lord!

[Guest Username-Removed]

JMS,

That’s a nice story to tell. A lot of it reminded me of when I joined the church when I was 15 years old. You just can't beat the church when you are hungry for the spirit.

My parents are also not members. It’s taken years for me to realize, (and I think this is an individual decision) that my non-member family has been a hindrance for me. Part of me wants my dad to be proud of me, yet everything I cherish, he dislikes. Over the years I also realized that the verbal abuse my father was giving me was not at all the way it had to be. Can you imagine what it was like to live right next door to an awesome member family! It was my escape! Isn't it a wonderful thing that my Heavenly Father would rescue me from such an abusive place? I look back now, and I do remember praying to Heavenly Father for an escape from that life .... He found a way to make it happen!

Today, I am 43 year old. My father & brother refuse to talk to me. My mother does talk to me, but I think she must think that I am the mixed up son that somehow has his wires crossed.

I am the happiest I have ever been. My father in Heaven... I think he is proud of me. I know I am forever thankful for him rescuing me.

[Truegrits]

I was fortunate to have been "born Mormon". However, I did not date nor marry Mormon. I was inactive for about thirty years. But because of my upbringing, I did not abandon the standards that had been taught by my parents and by the Church. One day I had an overwhelming knowledge that I needed to return to the Gospel. That I needed it in my life. I looked up the address of the Church in my area, and one afternoon I drove around until I found it. That next Sunday, I went to Church. There were no other cars there. I waited half an hour...no one showed up. During the week I called the Church and found out that the Sunday I chose to return was Stake Conference...in the next city. I tried again the next Sunday...LOL

[Casslan]

In a nutshell:

Late 1970's looked a various Christian faiths - Catholic [took lessons], Baptist, Presbyterian, Methodist, CoE, Assembly of God - while living in NZ

1979-80 Came to UK. 3months after arriving dropped searching for a religion.

Joined Anachist group!

April 1980 - Religious experience;

Went to an LDS Church in Hyde Park, London [only one I knew of at time]

Had discussions with missionaries where I lived.

When heard of First Vision - same as dream I had before heard of church.

Baptised April 25 1980.

[Tough Grits]

My father was agnostic. I thought my mother was too. My aunt and her little family were religious, but I did not know what they were. All I knew was that she was mean to me as a kid (let's not talk about whether or not I deserved it!!! LOL LOL), so I didn't really think Church was doing much for her. LOL LOL

Well, when I was twelve I went on a road trip with my aunt (my mother's sister) and her little family. We drove from Georgia to Utah. It was a fun trip with my cousins. My mother had given me a Polaroid camera to take on the trip. I still have the pics that I took. We visited a cool jail on our trip. I have a pic of my cousins sitting in the cell of the jail on the second floor. I also have a really cool pic of an awesome building at night with beautiful lights shining up to the top spires.

In fact, we were in Utah when I took the pic of the spiritual "building". As I stood outside the fence along the highway and looked at the beautiful building, I felt a shiver go up my spine. For some reason, I was impressed that I should never forget that moment. There was something special about that building. I knew, even at 12, that I would never forget the sight of that building at night or the feeling I had as I stood outside the fence looking at it.

Fast forward 12 years...I moved to Georgia when I was 24. I moved in with my grandmother. I arrived in Sept/Oct. of 1998. At this point I learned that my aunt and my cousins were Mormon. I found out that my grandparents were too. I didn't even know what Mormon meant. I asked my cousin Chad one day, and he handed me a copy of the Gospel Principles.

Wow. I was in shock. As I read that manual, I couldn't believe the things that I read. Although I had been agnostic all my life, I had been searching for something. I had been exposed to many religions. My father's family, being Cuban, were Catholics. My best friend in High School, Paul, was Pentecostal. But I had never found what made sense to me.

What I read in the Gospel Principles made sense. My sister had died when I was 8 (she had been 10). She had been born with spinebifida (SP?). She could not walk, use her arms/hands much, and she had mental impairments as well. But I had always known in my heart that when I saw her again (and I just knew that I would) that she would be whole, and not handicapped. Imagine my shock and joy upon reading about the resurrection, and how our bodies will be perfected. I was also humbled to read about how we could see each other again in the Spirit World, and even live together forever...based upon certain conditions.

Another thing that I had believed all my life, was that we had somehow all known each other before. My father believed in reincarnation. Although I adored my father, and believed nearly everything he told me...I never believed in reincarnation. It just did not feel right to me.

Imagine my elation when I read about the pre-mortal world!

Well, I joined the Church a few weeks later. After my baptism, I learned that my own mother was Mormon too. She had just been inactive my whole life.

I also learned that the trip I had gone on when I was 12 was more special than I had originally thought. That jail that we visited was Carthage Jail. The "building" that so overwhelmed me and whispered to me...I later found out was the Manti Temple.

Life is strange, but wonderful...isn't it? My boss at that time was a counselor in the Stake Presidency...through him I found out that my own grandfather had baptized him and my aunt on the same day in a river.

That is my conversion story. The story does not end there though. How I met my husband has just as many cool twists and turns, and more "coincidences" in it!!!!!

[Maya]

There was a knock on the door....

You can read mine too on my profile if you want to...

[Iggy]

My older brother was introduced to the Church through Boy Scouts. My dad didn't like any of the "local" troops- their leaders, etc. Brother really wanted to go to scouts though and through a school mate he found a troop that Dad liked the leaders of. Ta Da- you got it, it was at the Mormon church.

Through Brother going to scouts at Church, he started going to Mutual, and from listening to him talk about all the wonderful things they all did at Mutual - even the spiritual things- well I wanted to go to this Mutual Church too!

I was nearly 8 at the time. Mom and Dad found out that I would be going to Primary, so Dad started taking me to Primary on Tuesdays after school. My little sister had to go to, and she hated it. For some reason if the two of us didn't go- then I couldn't go by myself.

My two older sisters were going to Mutual and they also were going to church on Sundays. So I went with them. I loved it. I loved that there was no "preaching" like at some other churches. I loved that it smelled nice and clean in the chapel and not smoky and nasty like our neighbors catholic church (incense). I loved that I could sing with every one else and not just listen to the songs. I loved that the "preachers" were different every Sunday and that even the children could get up and "preach".

I absolutely loved Sacrament. Then it was held at night. I seldom slept through a talk, quite often I wanted to sit in the very back pew so I could stand on the hard seat and see who was talking and to hear what they were saying.

For six years I attended Church- not primary though because my little sister would not go. I went to Sunday School opening exercises, classes, and then Sacrament. On Fast and Testimony I won out and did sit at the very back, that way I could see and hear everyone!

The missionaries were at our house all the time. They were giving my sisters the lessons, then they gave my Parents the lessons, and I guess I took the lessons.

I was never asked if I wanted to be baptized though. At 14 I went to the Bishop and told him I was ready to be baptized, when could I please be baptized? He told me that they didn't baptize members twice. I told him I was never baptized. He told me not to lie and shushed me out of his office.

When we got home from church, I went straight to my dad and demanded that he "Straighten that old Bishop out and inform him I was not baptized and that I wanted to be baptized".

On Jan 21, 1967 I was baptized and confirmed. I really don't remember much of it- I had such a cold at the time, but I flat refused to change the date. When I found out from the Missionaries that I could have been baptized at 8 I was so mad. I do remember that I had to be dipped three times. The first two times my foot stuck out. I thought getting dipped three times was normal - you know, for the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost. (nearly all our neighbors were Catholics:lol: and they were always crossing themselves)

I didn't convert until I was in my late 40's though. I never doubted that the doctrines that were taught to me were true, I never read the Book of Mormon either until Pres Hinckley challenged us! My testimony was born of the testimonies of others. Those others were people that I trusted unconditionally and they never disappointed me. I am not really sure when my testimony was truly my own- but it is and I can never deny it.

During my nearly 3 decades of inactivity I went to many other church's and bible studies, and revivals. I was always edgy and uncomfortable and in some instances frightened. At one Born Again revival, the preacher looked me in the eye and demanded that I denounce my faith and turn from Satan. I looked him back in the eyes and told him "In the name of Jesus Christ I command thee to depart from me, I banish thee from me and I ask Father to protect me from this adversary.I say this in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen". His eyes got huge and he was so angry, but he couldn't talk- he jerked away from me and headed in the opposite direction. I looked at my room mate and told her I was gone- I had had enough of this nonsense.

When I came back into activity I felt as though I had finally come home after a long and perilous journey. That I was in a safe harbor and NO WAY was I ever leaving again! I have danced with the Devil, and survived. Never will I do that again.

[Guest Xzain]

Well, I was born in the Church but I didn't become converted until I was 16. After that I fell into a little bit of inactivity but I have been fully active for the past 2+ years.

My testimony can be viewed from my profile if anyone would like to know the whole story. :)

[Truegrits]

~~~Iggy~~~

"In the name of Jesus Christ I command thee to depart from me, I banish thee from me and I ask Father to protect me from this adversary.I say this in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen". His eyes got huge and he was so angry, but he couldn't talk- he jerked away from me and headed in the opposite direction. I looked at my room mate and told her I was gone- I had had enough of this nonsense.

LOL How I wish I could have seen that

[Iggy]

~~~Iggy~~~

LOL How I wish I could have seen that

It was spooky True, he actually jerked away from me and was acting like a puppet on a string. Once I got back to my apartment I was shaking and afraid. I was only 20 at the time. Didn't have a phone so I couldn't call any family. I also didn't have enough sense to go looking for the LDS Church - but I sure knew that what he was preaching was not of God.