Help: Calling all LDS converts

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davethecatholic

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I don’t know much about the LDS sect. Can anyone help me with reading references for trying to convert a former Catholic who has been misled by the LDS folks?

Thanks in advance!

Dave.
 
I am the wife of a former LDS convert to Catholicism. My husband studied Catholic material, went to Mass with me, asked questions and felt comfort in the Catholic Church that he never felt in all the 50 plus years of being LDS. He would try to answer my questions to him about LDS. One day I asked how any man could say he was greater than Jesus, greater than God…he did not know that Joseph Smith said that in one of his orations). My DH said, no one could ever say that and expect anyone to take him seriously and follow him as a religious leader. I then told him it was out of the mouth of Joseph Smith. He was silent for a long time. A few weeks later he declared his desire to join the Catholic Church.

There are many books, but a fairly good one is “When Mormons Call” by Isaiah Bennett, a former Catholic priest who converted to LDS for a few years and is back home in the Catholic Church now.

If your friend was a well informed Catholic who lost his faith for whatever reason, he will most likely see through the phony claims, etc. in not too long a time. However, if he was lukewarm in his faith and didn’t know his religion, it would be easier for him to stay in LDS. Most converts to LDS go in the front door, wander around, try to be good LDS, become dismayed at what they learn and out the back door.

My suggestion is to be gentle with him. If you know your religion well, read LDS material so you know what he is learning and then question him on it as I did my husband. If he is a new convert, he doesn’t know much about LDS. Don’t make him feel dumb or “stupid” for his decision to go LDS. Keep talking to him and “teaching” him about the REAL LDS beliefs versus Catholicism as often as you can. It is possible that his new friends will tell him not to associate with you. He will be encouraged to take on as many callings as possible to keep him so busy he won’t have time to associate with many outside his church acquaintances.

Good luck, be patient, loving and kind. For whatever reason, he is lost right now. Love, patience, good example will help bring him back to the flock. Hope this helps.

Love and peace,

Mom of 5
 
After being a Jehovah’s Witness,
I became a Mormon for a short while in 1987/88.
If you want to know what Mormons really believe, you
might do a google search for DESERET BOOK COMPANY and look for the book called A MARVELLOUS WORK AND A WONDER, which is a beginners level introduction to Mormonism by Mormons themselves. Also, MORMON DOCTRINE by Bruce McConkie is a good overview of LDS teaching.
Contrary to popular belief, most explicit Mormon dogma is not found in The Book of Mormon itself.
Good luck!!
God bless,
Jaypeeto4 (aka Jaypeeto3)
 
I was LDS for about five years. Elders Quorum President, went to the temple, the whole bit.

A Marvelous Work and a Wonder is a good general overview, but also leaves a lot out. Mormon Doctrine is also a valuable resource, but it is also often said by Mormons, “The problem with Mormon Doctrine is that a lot of it isn’t.” Meaning that McKonkie inserts a lot of personal opinion which is not actually doctrine.

If you go looking to but these books, try and find them second hand. If you buy them from Deseret, you’ll be contributing financially to the LDS church.

The biggest trouble with pinning down Mormon doctrine is that there is very little which could be considered to be “official” despite its being widely taught within the church. Things that have been taught will get dismissed as someone’s opinion, even if it was spoken by a prophet. A little research into Brigham Young’s teaching that Adam was God will highlight one of the more infamous cases of this happening.

Probably the most concise summary of Mormon theology is Joseph Smith’s statement that, “As man is, God once was. As God is, man may become.”

Although when the current LDS church president Gordon B. Hinkley was asked about that statement on 60 Minutes last years, he responded, “I don’t know that we teach that.”

The best approach to take with Mormon doctrine is to point out its constant changeability.

Polygamy, ordination of Blacks, Adam-God, the United Order…
 
The Book that all members get and study is Gospel Principles.
deseretbook.com/Gospel-Principles-2009-Edition-LDS-Distribution-Center/i/5028691
is one place that you can get it. There are basic principles that all members learn but we (yes, I am Mormon) believe that all “the mysteries of God” is the sole privlage of God to reveal to individuals because of their faith, study, and prayer. The only docterine you can count on as being our beliefs is found in the Bible, Book of Mormon, Pearl of Great Price, Docterine and Covenants, and the church magizines like the Ensign, New Era, and Friend. I hope this helps you find and understand the principles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. And just remember, we are all children of God and we should always treat each other that way.
 
I was mormon for a year, but now I’m back in the Catholic Church.

This site helped me see the truth, although many of the posters are very, very anti-religion, but there are many well-versed Catholics also.

www.exmormon.org
 
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