Whenever I hear the comment, "Why in the world would anyone WANT to be a Mormon?" I have to say to myself, "Why in the world would anyone NOT want to be a Mormon?" Well, besides the fact that they'll probably have to make some major lifestyle changes, and give up some vices they may not want to part with, in the long run the pros far outweigh the cons.
I once had a good friend who was a real party goer; he loved to drink and socialize, and occasionally, even smoked pot. I remember about a week before my baptism over thirty years ago, when I first announced to him that I was going to join the Mormon Church, he replied, "Oh no, you don't want to do that! You won't be able to do anything; you can't smoke, drink and party, have sex or have any kind of fun!" I answered, "But, Doug (named changed for privacy), I don't do those things anyway!" "Oh, you're right," he said, kind of disappointedly. He wished me the best and we still remained friends for many years later. Of course, he still partied with his other friends and was a real ladies' man, but he has always shown me respect for the choice I made. Throughout the years we had several good talks over the phone, with the utmost respect for one another, before we eventually lost track of each other as we moved around chasing our dreams.
When Mitt Romney ran for president there seemed to be an upsurge of curiosity about the Mormons and what they believe. People started asking questions, and there are several ways to get answers to those questions. One way is to ask anyone you know whether or not they know anything about the Mormons and their beliefs. The only problem with this is that you'll get a variety of responses from people who "think" they know what the Mormons believe, and most of the information will either be opinions or misinformation from people who have been misguided. Let me ask you this question; If you were dying from a cancerous brain tumor would you rather have a heart surgeon explain to you, the complicated details of a new brain surgery procedure, or would you trust the information from a specialized brain surgeon who is knowledgeable and up-to-date on all the new procedures? Who would be better qualified to give you the most accurate information? Just as you wouldn't go to a heart surgeon for brain surgery -- or you wouldn't ask a plumber for instructions on how to wire your house for electricity -- you shouldn't go to the Baptists, Methodists, Lutherans, Jews, Catholics, etc., if you want to get accurate information about the Mormons.
Which leads to the second way of obtaining answers and information; go DIRECTLY to the source. Who else is better qualified to give accurate, detailed information about the Mormons than the Mormons themselves. By the way, Mormon is just a nickname they kind of inherited from others because of the Book of Mormon. I say they when I really mean we, since I'm including myself among them. We call ourselves Latter-Day Saints after the latter part of the name of our church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. This is to distinguish us from the saints of old; the members of Christ's original church were called saints. At any rate, this is probably the best way to obtain accurate information. For the most part, the members will be friendly and helpful, and more than happy to answer any questions you may have.
People may feel intimidated because of what they have heard from others. No, nobody is brainwashed, no one is forced to listen to anything, and no, we're not out to GET you. Just like you'll find in any other denomination, there are those who are more bold or who seem a little pushy, but that is not what we're all about. We believe that everyone has the right to believe and worship whatever they will, in whatever manner they so choose. We teach those who are seeking for answers; who want more than what is already out there. After hearing the things that we have to teach, only you can decide what you want to do. We encourage people to do as the Lord counseled through his servant, James, "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him." (James 1:5)
You can listen to anyone, and get all kinds of advice and information, but you can rely only on one, the Lord himself. Ask him in prayer, and if you're heart is sincere he will know it, and he will provide you with the answer through the power of the Holy Ghost witnessing to your heart, just as he did in the days of old. "And they said to one another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?" (Luke 24:32) This is how truth has always been revealed, through the power of the Holy Ghost witnessing to the heart of those who are seeking. This is the duty of the Holy Ghost; to reveal truth, to teach, warn, guide, and direct; to witness and testify of the truth to those who are pure in heart.
And finally, the third way of obtaining information is to gather it yourself by reading books, searching the internet, watching videos or DVD's. Just like the first method, there are more chances of obtaining misinformation this way. Make sure the books you read are published by the church or by an LDS publisher. The same goes for the videos and DVD's, as well as the internet; make sure you're getting information from a reliable sourch. If there's a lot of negativity then chances are the information is from someone trying to give out false information about the church to prevent people from obtaining the real truths about what we believe or don't believe.
I have been on both sides of the fence, and have had many experiences in my search for truth. I can see things from the non member's point of view as well as from the member's point of view. I'll be posting many excerpts from both sides of my experiences onto this site. If you want accurate information, check back here often. Until next time, may God be with you and bless you in all your needs.
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Comments (4)
Amazing post!
This goes for any belief system - if you want to learn about it, go to the source.
@J_Goldens_Shadow@xanga - Thanks!
@radicalramblings@xanga - Absolutely! I've always believed this applies to anything as well. It just makes sense.
This actually reminded me of something I want to submit to you as a guest post.