Feeling a bit lost

[Dale]

Wanderer-Unless you were in an Evangelical church and took a class on witnessing to Mormon's you would not know the arguments. Most churche's i know of have no interest in exposing Mormonism's so called error's. They might disagree with the LDS, but they are no vocal enough to get into that.

[reggstuard]

Originally Posted by WANDERER

Yes, I think people are pretty anti..how do you cope with that kind of response?

I know where you are coming from, half my family is baptist,which that is the way I was raised.And the other half is church of christ.All my friends say are you crazy,stay out of the mormon church.So i feel confused,I have prayed about it,and I feel happy with my choice,but my family really is hard agaist the mormon church,so I tell them this is the way I look at it,if I live by what god commands,and belive jesus as my savor,and being saved,And I pray alot,I worry god to no end.
That I will be fine,I feel im doing right,and when its my time to go I'll be with my heavenly father.
But I get the mormons are devil worshipers,they are a cult,I even get you will go to hell if you go do a mormon church.I still wonder if Im going in the right direction? So the only thing I can say is pray for god to lead you down the right path.

[HiJolly]

Originally Posted by reggstuard

I know where you are coming from, half my family is baptist,which that is the way I was raised.And the other half is church of christ.All my friends say are you crazy,stay out of the mormon church.So i feel confused,I have prayed about it,and I feel happy with my choice,but my family really is hard agaist the mormon church,so I tell them this is the way I look at it,if I live by what god commands,and belive jesus as my savor,and being saved,And I pray alot,I worry god to no end.
That I will be fine,I feel im doing right,and when its my time to go I'll be with my heavenly father.
But I get the mormons are devil worshipers,they are a cult,I even get you will go to hell if you go do a mormon church.I still wonder if Im going in the right direction? So the only thing I can say is pray for god to lead you down the right path.

Christ taught that we obtain the witness as we do our will. Assuming we're humble and open to the Spirit, of course. So if you think, after prayer and pondering, that you should do something, then go for it, and look for the quiet promptings of the spirit to guide you. For or against.

In particular, if you are a covenantal believer, you will obtain additional assistance. IMO.


HiJolly

[Dr T]

It should be in a "critical way" Wanderer. When you read anything, it ought to be done critically. Don't just accept things as you read them. (The same applies to this post)

[PentiumInside]

Originally Posted by reggstuard

But I get the mormons are devil worshipers,they are a cult,I even get you will go to hell if you go do a mormon church.I still wonder if Im going in the right direction? So the only thing I can say is pray for god to lead you down the right path.

Thats the same spirit that burned people alive in " the name of Christ" for being witches. It's the same spirit that pervades the Islamic religion. Any religion that uses fear to control you should send up a red flag.

When I came to the realization that the church was true, it was as if I had been working on a giant jigsaw puzzle and had only a few pieces together and then suddenly, someone showed me the picture on the box!! It all made sense, then they took the box away. I'm still putting pieces together and no I don't have the answer to every question, but I know in my heart and for an ASSURITY that I SAW thepicture and it was complete and no one will ever scare me away from that beautiful glimpse of an eternal testimony I had that moment. The trick is to keep reliving that moment, no matter how small the first one is, keep reading the scriptures, especially thge BoM. Keep talking to members who have a strong testimony. Keep living the principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ in your life and you will have additional power to over come doubt, temptation and fear.

Remember also this quote:
"Mysheep will hear my voice and THEY WILL KNOW ME."- Jesus


And Wanderer- Fill your heart with the truthfulness of the gospel before you start researching "anti-questions". If you do, you will find you already know the answers to some of those"questions" and the true spirit of how they are worded will be laid bare.


Pentium

[HiJolly]

Originally Posted by PentiumInside

Thats the same spirit that burned people alive in " the name of Christ" for being witches. It's the same spirit that pervades the Islamic religion. Any religion that uses fear to control you should send up a red flag.

When I came to the realization that the church was true, it was as if I had been working on a giant jigsaw puzzle and had only a few pieces together and then suddenly, someone showed me the picture on the box!! It all made sense, then they took the box away. I'm still putting pieces together and no I don't have the answer to every question, but I know in my heart and for an ASSURITY that I SAW thepicture and it was complete and no one will ever scare me away from that beautiful glimpse of an eternal testimony I had that moment. The trick is to keep reliving that moment, no matter how small the first one is, keep reading the scriptures, especially thge BoM. Keep talking to members who have a strong testimony. Keep living the principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ in your life and you will have additional power to over come doubt, temptation and fear.

Remember also this quote:
"Mysheep will hear my voice and THEY WILL KNOW ME."- Jesus


And Wanderer- Fill your heart with the truthfulness of the gospel before you start researching "anti-questions". If you do, you will find you already know the answers to some of those"questions" and the true spirit of how they are worded will be laid bare.


Pentium

Awesome post, Pentium.


HiJolly

[reggstuard]

Originally Posted by WANDERER

Regg...I know I'm going to say this is not dangerous...it's all good. Might be a bit of a rocky path. I guess I'm at the fragile stage. Not ready for people to hack away at something that is uplifting.

HiJolly, I really hope so cause additional help would be great. The whole 'milk before meat' thing. I have no problems with seeing the revelation and inspiration of God in this, that is the easiest thing. I have this really strong wish to get a study guide for the Book of Mormon and work my way through it. No, not in a critical way. Er, help!

I know I felted alot better after reading the book of mormon,I think you will feel better,I prayed before i read it to give me the insight,and prayed after about being true.And I can say I really did feel at peace,and warm,happy.
Also i can tell you that we moved a hr from where we were going to church,and I hadnt found a ward here,but i prayed about helping me go down the right path,and if this church was the right path.And I ask for god to help keep the holy sprit in me,and that give me some sign that I was going down the right path.And I few days later I got a letter from this ward from the relief class president,and iI hadnt give the ward I was going to my new address cause at the time I didnt know it.But I received that letter,made me feel that was a sign from god that I was on the right path.
So please read the book of mormon,I truely believe you will find some of your answers.

Wanderer: Even from the purely empirical research model, you must fully assess the validity and data of a claim (study in detail and compare with your own data/evidence/beliefs) before you go looking for alternative theories set forth by opponents of the first. Pentium is absolutely right. Feast on what is right before you at this time. The fact is that The Book of Mormon contains internal evidence and explicit facts about the Savior, who He was, why He came and what He did that the Bible only approaches peripherally. Let the truth of the Gospel speak to you heart through the Spirit. The dissenters reject every thing as to avoid being confused by the facts. They already made up their minds.

[WillowTheWhisp]

Originally Posted by PentiumInside

Fill your heart with the truthfulness of the gospel before you start researching "anti-questions". If you do, you will find you already know the answers to some of those"questions" and the true spirit of how they are worded will be laid bare.

Some of the best advice I have ever heard.

The closer we get to the Lord by scripture study and prayer the easier it is to recognise truth against error.

[InTheDoghouse]

Wanderer
I have arrived a little late on the scene, but have read the previous posts and wish to add my testimony to what has been said.
I too, although born in the church, became converted later in my life. All members at some point face the same fears that you are facing before they take that "leap of faith" and submit to the will of the Lord. I love that Indiana Jones movie, I believe it is "The Temple of Doom", where in he walks to the edge of the cliff and then is required to take a step before the path becomes visible. I truly believe that is the way the Lord works in our lives. He leads us to the point of knowing where we need to be, then requires action on our part before He reveals the "sureness" of the way. This action is the seed that Alma refers to when he asks us to "Experiment upon the word":
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.
33 And now, behold, because ye have tried the experiment, and planted the seed, and it swelleth and sprouteth, and beginneth to grow, ye must needs know that the seed is good.

Faith really does require some action. I firmly believe that true testimony comes only after the trial of you faith. So my advice is to "Experiment on the Word."