This is a supplement to the "Houston Temple / Small Things" testimony I posted on 8-29-08. http://www.lds.net/listing/view/id_488/title_houston-temple-small-things/ As you know the Houston temple photograph appeared on my screensaver while typing my experience. The screensaver changes every 30 minutes. Today I counted a total of 247 photographs that are on my screensaver program. I'm convinced that the temple photo was a blessing/gift for posting the message. It came up at the right time and was the ONE out of 247 that could have appeared. Again the photo can be viewed on my profile /pic section. I'm looking forward to sharing this experience during fast & testimony Sunday with my ward.

Tags: Testimony Temple Photograph

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As many of you know I have recently become a member of the church for the second time. I now have my priesthood restored and attended a baptism session at the Winter Quarters Temple. I'm so grateful for this second chance. The first time I was a member and was trying to leave, I contacted two people for information. One person was from the Charlottesville, VA 1st ward. I attended that ward in 1993. Sometime in the mid to late 1990's I believe he became a bishop, if not then he may have been the ward clerk. I assumed my records were still in that ward. He said they were sent to Salt Lake City and gave me an address to notify the church that I wished to leave. I can imagine it may have hurt him by "helping" me with my request. I Never did use the address he gave me. Now after over 10 years, I phoned him to let him know I rejoined the church. He remembered the first call I placed to him in the 1990's. He was very happy to know that I rejoined the church. He is still active in the church.

 By late 2000, the church somehow located me living in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. I was upset that the church located me because of the fact I left no paper trail of all the places I had lived in during the 90's. I had a letter delivered to the Bishop of the Pine Bluff Ward that I was assigned to. He responded back in 2001 stating my request to have the records removed will take place in 30 days. By february, it was official. Again I imagined it caused him anguish to go through with my request. I was so excited to call him this week to let him know I returned. His wife answered the telephone,  I identified myself and wanted to talk to the former Bishop.  I did not get to talk to him. His wife said "He is no longer a member of the church." My heart sank when I heard those words. I did not ask why he is not a member. I did tell the wife on how I came back to the church. She was glad I returned. That phone call has upset me so much. One person (me) returns to the church while another has left. I now know what those 2 men and my how my family felt when they found out about me leaving. I hope and pray that the former Bishop of the  Pine Bluff ward becomes a member of the church again one day.

John

Tags: Bishop Church

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I would have liked to have this posted in the forum topic section. I'm not sure how to start one. This will have to do. My baptism is scheduled for July 12th. Tonight I watched the movie "contact". I first saw the movie about 10 years ago. I remember the church being mentioned in the movie. My dvd copy does not have the scene about the church.  So, I did an internet search to see if the scene was avaliable online. I could not find the deleted scene. NOW FOR THE REAL ISSUE. When doing the search on the net. I came across an upsetting video. To make along story short, a once active member in the church became ill. While at the hospital she claimed to have had a near death experience (NDE). She stated she was in hell because of choosing the LDS faith. During her experience there, she had brief contact with a church member who had passed away. He told her he made a mistake (being a member) and that she should not follow the faith. If she did, she would spend eternity in hell. Satan was using the church as a deception to brings souls unto him. I WANT TO KNOW IF THERE ARE ANY DOCUMENTED NDE EXPERIENCES THAT OTHER CHURCH MEMBERS HAVE EXPERIENCED. If so, were they negative like the woman experienced? Or, have there been positive experiences. This whole incident has me rethinking me being baptised and being a member of the church. OH, I FORGOT TO MENTION THE WOMAN ALSO CLAIMS SHE WENT TO HEAVEN AND SAW JESUS. She knew in her heart that the church was not true. Can anyone help me find positive nde experiences?

Tags: Afterlife Baptism NDE

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June has been a rough month for me. As some of you are aware, I'm in the process of returning to the church. June 19, 2007 was the date I started my journey back to the church. I've been attending church on a regular basis since last July. I was told that I have the oppurtunity to re-join the church after one year. A part of my past was being involved in the new age movement. Without the gift of the holy ghost, I feel a similar type of spirit associated with the new age. That "good feeling" returned early this month. It turned into a battle between the church and the new age movement. I came very close in decideing to stop my re-association with the church. I stopped logging into lds.net and even missed a Sunday at church. I came very close to closing my acct here on this site. I was downloading gigabytes of info related to the new age. This info was very enlightening in the beginning. Then several contridictions started popping up. I started feeling awful and came to the conclusion that all these feeling were trying to prevent me from joining the church. I've prayed and have decided to continue with my progress with the church. Today I had my final interview with my bishop and set my baptism date for July 12th. I know satan will try everything he can do in the next 3 weeks to prevent this from happenning. I'm confident that I'll make it to July 12th. My father and a brother will come to be a part of my baptism. They live in Utah and Indiana. To sum things up I found that the church is what will make me the happiest now and for all eternity. I'll keep you posted on any new developments.

John 

Tags: Baptism

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I got this email from a some friends in Australia. I wanted to pass it on to this group.

WHEN YOUR HUT'S ON FIRE

 The only survivor of a shipwreck was washed up on a small, uninhabited island. He prayed feverishly for God to rescue him. Everyday he scanned the horizon for help, but none seemed forthcoming. Exhausted, he eventually managed to build a little hut out of driftwood to protect him from the elements, and to store his few possessions. One  day, after scavenging for food, he arrived home to find his little hut in flames, with smoke rolling up to the sky. He felt the worst had happened, and everything was lost. He was stunned with disbelief, grief and anger! He cried out, 'God! How could you do this to me?' Early the next day, he was awakened by the sound of a ship approaching  the island! It had come to rescue him! 'How did you know I was here?'he asked the weary man of his rescuers. 'We saw your smoke signal,' they replied.

The Moral of This Story: It's easy to get discouraged when things are going bad, but we  shouldn't lose heart, because God is at work in our lives...even in the midst of  our pain and suffering. Remember that the next time your little hut seems  to be burning to the ground. It just may be a smoke signal that
summons  the Grace of God.

P.S. You may want to consider passing this on, because you never know  who feels as if their hut is on fire today.

Tags: Grace God

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I was looking forward to this weekend because of my stake conference. I've been active since last july. active meaning going to church. This Sunday was an upsetting one for me. I know it's all because of my own actions.

 I learned not to take photographs when a stake conference is in session. An apostle was attending. The photos were taken just a few minutes before it began. I then deleted them during the conference. The conference ended I still felt terrible.  I told the stake president what I had done. He said they would have been ok since they were taken prior to the start of the meeting.
 I also learned to keep  fellow church members informed of a change of plans. (the hard way) after church I was invited to a home for dinner. I was given directions and proceded to go to the home. I got lost and then decided to go back home. By the time I got home, I was really depressed and went to bed. I figured I would get a call from the church member who invited me to see what happenned. I also knew the member did not have my phone number. I shut off my answering machine, just in case i got the call. The answering machine picks up after 4 rings. Late in the afternoon,  the phone rang 15 times. then all of a sudden I heard the church members voice on my machine. Aparently I was intended to hear the messege. The member wondered what happened and wanted to know if i was ok. They had to call the Missionaries(who were currently with the apostle) to get my phone number. I then felt really terrible for worrying the member but had enough courage to call their home. I left a messege on thier answeing machine just saying i got lost. That particular member was still at the original house i was invited to , and i knew I would get their answering machine.
you might be wondering why i made this so difficult. One thing is I have social anxiety disorder and am also my own worst judge. The smallest mistake i make turns into a big deal. I know that no one is perfect. It does not make a difference on how i feel about my self. Now i'm ashamed to go back to church and see the member in one of the classes. I'm about 2 months away from my re-baptism. I'm still not close to anyone in the ward. I now want to give up going to my ward and postpone my baptism until I move to Bountiful. That will be between 9-2008 & 9-2009. I basicly made what could have been a memorable spirit filled day into a depressing one.

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