I thought I would open my blog with my own personal conversion story.
I grew up in the Mormon church. However, I still consider myself a convert to the Mormon church. You see, as a young child, I was never convinced that the church I belonged to was true. I knew that Jesus Christ was the savior of the world, but I was unsure that the church I belonged to was the only true church. As I hit my teen years, I reluctantly kept attending church, but only because my parents forced me. I didn't take it seriously and decided it was a waste of my time. I would frequently ditch Sunday school to go across the street to the local doughnut store (I think the other deacons, teachers and priests kept the place in business). There I was stuck in a religion I didn't understand, dragging my feet and felt I had better things to do.
When I was about 16, I had an experience that changed my life in a profound way. This experience made me realize that I had not ever read the Book of Mormon, Not once. How could I know if the church was true, or experience this "burning in the bosom" that everyone was talking about if I have never read the Book of Mormon? I decided that night to crack open my copy of the Book of Mormon and begin reading it. Although the words were very difficult to understand, I felt something that night. It is something that I can't explain fully, but it was a feeling of peace and joy within my heart. From that moment on, I understood what this whole "burning in the bosom" was. I realized the only way to know if something is true or not is to read it and pray about it to see if it is true.
From that moment on, my testimony grew exponentially. My faith turned into a knowledge of the truthfulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I know that God lives, that Jesus Christ is the savior of the world, that God the father and Jesus Christ had a message to give us through Joseph Smith. Now the manner at which Joseph gave us this message was done with his own free agency, which I will expand upon as I go.
No amount of evidence or proof can convince me to believe otherwise. DNA, archaeology and church history have no impact on me as to the truthfulness of the gospel. Men are imperfect, but the church is perfect, because it is directed by God. If God himself appeared before me and told me the Mormon church was not true, I wouldn't believe it, I would know I was hallucinating, because I already know the church is true.
I have read many arguments against the church, and one thing that people can not refute with facts and evidence is how the church has affected my life, or how I feel inside.
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We are living in troubled times. Detractors of the LDS Church like to take things about the church and blow them out of proportion, like taking some minor obscure old quote made by some church leader over 150 years ago, out of context, and make it seem like it is part of our principal doctrine. This blog is a rebuttal to many criticisms of the church. This blog is just my personal opinion and is not to be considered official church statements.
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About Me
- Stance For Truth
- With the age of the internet, there is a lot of information available regarding the Mormon church. I have seen too many blogs about Mormons leaving the church as well as ex-Mormons, so I decided to tell my story. Because anyone can publish information on the internet, this leads to a lot of lies, confusion and distortions. It is time for my story. "Choose ye this day whom ye will serve" Joshua 24:15
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6 comments:
I think it is important that you have created this blog... Too often LDS people are willing to idly sit by and let others bash our beliefs without standing up to make corrections. I truly believe we need to get our stories out there for others to read.
I was not raised in the Chruch and had various experiences which led me there. I had never heard of the BoM or LDS church until after I challenged the Lord... That is a really long story (and I don't want to write it all down). I read the BoM in one night... I am an incredibly critical reader and don't take too many things the way they are said or written... but the BoM changed my life. Afterward (and I would say that it took me almost 6 months to agree to baptism), I made some pretty crucial mistakes... challenged my teachings and chose to stop attending. I NEVER waivered on my belief that I was a member of the true church, but still messed my life up pretty good. After several years I determined that I was going to return to church. My husband would beat me up, sabotage my car, and pull a gun on me (amongst other things) to ensure I would not go... One day I snuck out of the house REALLY early and stayed with a friend until it was time to attend church. I asked the bishop for a blessing (incredible one, I might add, as he did not know what was going on in my life), he just thought I was having doubts about the Church and wanted to give me my space. He was really scared after my blessing!!! He asked me to not go home (he knew that death was waiting for me). I told him that I believed in the blessing I recieved and knew that I would be alrigt. I shook his hand and walked from the Church (feeling the best I had in years). Two days later, my husband pulled a gun on me and told me that it was time for me to make some decisions. One demand he made was for me to denounce my faith and membership in the LDS church. I told him I would not do that... a lengthy discussion/argument ensued and in the end he ended up shooting himself (to teach me a lesson). The following three days were filled with incredibly moving and fulfilling experinces which helped me to firmly stand on the ground that others question and criticize. I have seen, touched, and felt numerous things that, if ever denied I am certain I would be struck down dead!!!
The time has come for the fence sitters to totter one direction or the other... but truth remains, and if one chooses to not have their own spiritual experiences, that is their choice. Unfortunately, there are those who feel justified in name calling and bashing what others believe. Knowing what I know, having seen what I've seen, I continue to respect others beliefs and honor them in their given aspect (to do less would only validate an unChristian act). Too many people pick out small, incosequential things upon which to base their apostacy... they have their agency! They must act on their feelings and beliefs, not differently than I act upon mine.
still firm,
On one hand I stand in awe of the experiences you went through, especially with happened with you husband. You must literally have gone to hell and back.
Whilst I hold you experiences with great respect, I work with many, many people with as harrowing, as you have done. And yes, there are those, who have found complete comfort in their religion/spiritual experiences. The thing is, most people I work with are either Buddhists, Muslims and Christians. And such people who have undergone recovery from traumatic experience are filled with thankful gratitude to their own 'religion'. Do you see the conundrum here?
Please do not think that I am belittling your experience. I work with many people on a daily basis with people who hold similar stories that you have...but if you base the truthfulness of a particular 'religion' to a significant experience, then you are standing on shaky ground.
What becomes of the Buddhist who has also recovered from their traumatic ordeal? What becomes of his experience?
Anonymous,
I am not so narrow-minded to believe that there is not a commonality here. I am fascinated by other religions and the foundational similarities... for me, this is right... for someone else, buddism might be right... for yet another, muslam... do we have to be finger-pointers? Can't we love one another and still maintain our own beliefs?
Still firm,
Thank you for that genuine story. It takes a lot to be able to talk about such a traumatic event, so I admire your courage. This is exactly what I am talking about. My conversion happened when I read the Book of Mormon. Your conversion began by reading the Book of Mormon. The evidence to the authenticity of the Book of Mormon is nothing tangible or physical, it is purely spiritual.
This is exactly what I am talking about. I have never heard anyone say that they dug up some artifact that proved the validity of the Book of Mormon, and therefore they knew it was God's word. It always has and always will be a spiritual experience.
People have wasted precious man-hours and money looking for something physical to prove the Book of Mormon. They are all looking in the wrong place. The Book of Mormon evidence is only found within one self.
still firm,
"for me, this is right... for someone else, buddism might be right... for yet another, muslam... do we have to be finger-pointers? Can't we love one another and still maintain our own beliefs?"
At first glance, this is a laudable statement. It remains respectful of others' faiths etc. But, please, please, please realise that when it comes to truth - IT CANNOT WORK.
It's all very nice to live in the luxury of, "This is my truth, this is your truth" types of living. This type of logic is indicative of western-living. People who lead relatively ok lives...
(Can I invite you to re-think the way that you view truth in this way? I promise that you will be shocked by your logic):
But notice that whenever disaster strikes (when a situation occurs that shakes our very core) people, drop their relativistic tendencies and grip hold to absolutism. Here is an example:
If one day (and I hope this does not happen to anybody - but please know that at the same time that these are the kinds of people who I work with on a daily basis) you find out that your mum or someone close to you has been ravaged by a serial rapist. Would you think, "Oh, it's ok...it wasn't really rape; it was just a bit of fun. After all - to the rapist, it must have just been fun for him."?!?!?!?!
ABSURD!!!
The truth, hopefully, when police officers, psychotherapists, social workers etc. come to investigate...will show that your mum was indeed raped. All the evidence points toward it.
Notice: truth is established, not because of feelings/emotions and what not....but by looking at facts and hopefully through the statement made by your mum.
Please, please, please realize that your statement, "for me, this is right... for someone else, buddism might be right... for yet another, muslam... do we have to be finger-pointers? Can't we love one another and still maintain our own beliefs?" IS COMPLETE ABSURDITY.
It's all very nice for you to have your own truth or for the Muslim to have his/her own truth or the Buddhist or whatever and think that all beliefs chucked together in a soup of love makes things ok....IT DOES NOT!
It's just plain lazy thinking. Please, please, please re-think your statements: they just do not stand up.
I guess that is the beauty of life... we can all have our own opinions... and further, the beauty of who I am! Your opinion does not have to affect my beliefs or my standpoint. What you think is absurdity, I don't.
=) Happiness, love, peace and joy! That is my wish for ALL mankind! =)
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